José Manuel Franco (A Pobra do Brollón, Lugo, 65 years old) Today he celebrates two years at the head of the Higher Sports Council. two years since Pedro Sánchez called him to take charge of an area in which he was “a geek” as an amateur, especially football, as he demonstrated in his visit AS yesterday reviewing players from half of Europe that they could play for Real Madrid, which he has been a fan of since he was a child. His practical contact was in his youth, when he served as “bad defense and lumberjack” and as a handball player. “There a little better,” he jokes.
There are 730 days in a position in which he relieved Irene Lozano in an unstable time in the building on Martín Fierro street. In the Tokyo Olympic cycle, the federations had to deal with Miguel Cardenal, José Ramón Lete, María José Rienda, Lozano and him. “My endorsement was the management of the pandemic and Filomena in Madrid (he was a government delegate) and my passion for sport,” remember now to justify that call from President Sánchez.
Franco took responsibility and, along the way, has gained “a fondness for rugby” and has finally managed to get forward a Sports Law (entered into force on January 1) that retires a text that was more than thirty years oldwhich “cost a lot” and which has as axes “inclusion, health and an equality that must be promoted with visibility”, for which he requested help from the media. A few days ago, he precisely signed a protocol with RTVE to get it first in the public body.
“There are two years of more joy than sadness because we are in a golden age of sport. It is not necessary to stay only with the recent, with that foam that invades everything (in reference to the affair Negreira and Barça). There are the water polo teams, the handball teams, the basketball teams that have given us a spectacular summer only surpassed by the United States that we passed in the ranking, the rebirth of Fernando Alonso, in motorcycling we are a power, In cycling, exciting people come out, what to say about Carlos Alcaraz… And with Rafa Nadal we’ll see!”, he reviews in a hurry to conclude that we are “the envy of Europe”.
An inertia that she would like to see continue in the Women’s Soccer World Cup this summer with all the players in the National Team, including Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí. “If it was in my hand, they would go. Nobody has spoken with the CSD to request our involvement, but it seems that the situation is better. We are going to see the list of this Friday… ”, she slides. Precisely, women’s football has been a priority for the Council this course, with a professionalization achieved with its financial support. “We wanted it to be the spearhead for other women’s, or even men’s, leagues when they are more mature. It has to be done very carefully.”
On the horizon, there are also some Olympic Games in Paris (July 26-August 11, 2024). “The historical commitment of the Government of Pedro Sánchez for sport is allowing the second great revolution of Spanish sport to be launched,” he launches. And he supports it in that in this legislature (2020-2023) “The investment exceeds 1,100 million euros, already above the 1,000 that Pedro Sánchez committed to.” In 2023, the CSD has the largest budget in its history (381 million, more than 20% compared to the previous year), of which 140 come from European Funds. “Spain is the only country that included sport as a lever for recovery,” he points out. “The three axes of the European Funds are the ecological transition (146.5 million), digitization (75.6) and the social plan (77.8). A total of 300 million”.
In Paris, the federations will arrive with their long-awaited and claimed multi-year financing plan (57 million per year between 2022 and 2024) that will allow them to prepare the cycle well. And with additional help for athletes, Olympic and Paralympic, with podium options. “We are going to do well thanks to the Team España Élite program, which contributes another 16 million per year in 2022, 2023 and 2024.” With that money, 32 federations are being able to renew equipment, hold concentrations in other countries, hire psychologists or refine biomechanics. “Overcoming the ceiling of 22 medals from Barcelona 1992 I think it is possible, realistic. The projections within the CSD is that we will be between 20 and 24″, he notes.
“In addition, we have promoted the ADO plan (the financial support of the Olympians) with the appointment of Jennifer Pareja as director (water polo world champion who served as an adviser at the CSD). It is a complement. Companies are coming back and public-private collaboration must be defended, ”he says. The reality is that ADO was left without any business partner in the Tokyo cycle and seven out of ten euros came from the 2.5% of LaLiga audiovisual rights that go to other sports from the Viana Pact.
“Overcoming the 22 medals from Barcelona 1992 is realistic. The projections are between 20 and 24″
Some Games that are convulsed by the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. He The International Olympic Committee recommended on Tuesday to the international federations the return of Russians and Belarusians to competitions as neutral, without anthem or flag, without athletes related to the army and without teams. But it does not seem enough for countries like Spain, which in February signed a document together with 34 other nations (those from the EU and others such as the US or Australia) to demand more clarity from the IOC. “We asked for clarification, and what the IOC has expressed is not enough today. You must say exactly under what conditions they would participate. And if not, stay out. Russia and Belarus have it in their power to stop the war and compete”, says Franco, who recently met with the Ukrainian ambassador in Spain: “They are worried that difficult situations could arise”.
And from the sports universe, to football. To Enríquez Negreira and the more than seven million euros that he received from Barça during 17 years as vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees. “The process goes on for a long time when entering criminal proceedings. I’m afraid it will reach the Supreme. But I am worried about what UEFA will do (it could exclude the club from the Champions League). I am worried about the Barcelona player, to whom his president should give convincing explanations as soon as possible. I believe in the honesty of the referees, and that this has been an exception. It also seems that Barça was sold some smoke ”, he recounts.
“The appearance of the CSD in the case will surely be ready this week, because we want to ensure the cleanliness of the competition,” he said. But the stain on LaLiga is already difficult to clean. “It will be inevitable that they ask us outside, as happened with Operation Puerto. Distrust towards football can be generated. We already saw it with cycling. And that, at a time when the difference between LaLiga and the Premier is growing ”, he guesses. In addition, Franco also demands UEFA “measures against the state clubs” to return to balance.
“I am worried about the Barcelona fan, to whom his president should give convincing explanations”
A Negreira Case that also tangentially touches the CSD. Albert Soler, its general director of Sports between May 2021 and last January, was previously a director of Barça and one of the people called to declare by the Tax Agency because he knew the payments. “His dismissal is not related, but he did not inform us that he had had to testify,” clarifies the Secretary of State for Sport. Another clarification: “In the new Sports Law, the prescription of very serious infractions is maintained at three years because it is what the Law on the Legal Regime of the Public Sector mandates. We have been consistent. And no group presented amendments in this regard when they could.
It is therefore urgent to shed light on the payments to Negreira. As also that they do not go further racist or violent outbreaks in football, materialized in insults to Vinicius or fights between ultra groups. “We come from the time of the pandemic, without an audience in the stadiums, but it is true that there have been outbreaks. Responses such as those of Valladolid or Mallorca must be praised. The clubs are collaborating, although it is true that some more and others less, and the Police are also working well. In addition, the CSD presides over the Anti-Violence Commission this season”, explains the president.
As for the toBad relationship Javier Tebas-Luis Rubiales, LaLiga-RFEF, little news. “They think with their guts. I tried to fix it, but…”. Some friction that he hopes will not affect the candidacy for the 2030 World Cup together with Portugal and Morocco. “We are making progress”. That would be another mainstay for that ‘second revolution’ of Spanish sport.