Miguel Angel Barbero Updated: Save Send news by mail electrónicoTu name *
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After an election period altered by the coronavirus, the Assembly of the Spanish Federation of Rugby will decide today its president for lospróximos four years, in an appointment that signals the starting point for the rest of the federations in this olympic year, so unusual. Until this last step rugbístico have arrived matched the current president Alfonso Feijoo (who declined to make statements to ABC) and Juan Carlos Martin, “Hansen”, that after his previous experience at the helm of El Salvador wants to make the leap to the arena national. The candidate explains the main lines of its programme of change.
looking ahead to the elections of today, what is proposed for the Federation?
We are a very strong team of managers who have shown their love to rugby in the past and, having had success in the sport and in business, we have formed a group of 18 people with a mood very inclusive. We have a vision of the future to transform rugby in Spain.
Desgránenos what aspects of rugby are seeking to transform.
We have five main axes: the first is to work for any player, from the bases, have the same opportunities and that can get to as high as formed in Spain, because now is not possible if you want to reach the elite. The second pillar is the support to the clubs; we go hand-in-hand with the clubs and with the territorial, not against them. This is not going rights of the Spanish Federation, but is to go together and that the Federation is a site of concentration and helps the rugby Spanish, all with a series of measures to support the clubs.
what about the national teams-male and female?
The third part would be, from develop the rugby base, the player has greater capacity for expansion and the Federation put all the focus on the choices that we make, thinking in the next two World cups. There are also try that little by little we getting players assimilated that are forming in our structures, with selections sub-16, 17 and 18, both for boys as for girls which is fed to the selection absolute.
To do all this, we have created a structure of communication and marketing, sponsorships and events of the brand “Spain Rugby”, which would be the fourth axis of our program. Up until now it was very untied, and that meant the lack of coordination between them; for example, the sponsorship should segmentarlo because it is essential for the generation of income and in that way get lower the dependence of the clubs.
Apart from these lines of work, what would change for you, the current model under a federation?
Our fifth pillar involves structuring and organizing the Spanish endowing it with resources and adequate staffing, a model of governance, controls, roles and people to ensure that the Federation is prepared to grow and become what it should be. If we want to be a country “Tier 1” world, we have to change all the bases.
One of the recurrent messages of her campaign was to take Spain to the top tier of international rugby. Do you believe that it is possible to get it?
Yes, of course, but this is a ten year plan and with the annual rate that is developing, we’ll never get up, but each time we’ll more the distance. Spain has potential, has it all, you can develop all types of rugby, is a country ideal for the practice of this sport. In Spain we are good at all sports of outdoor equipment except in rugby. And we want to change this.
What can make the next four years to achieve this?
especially to increase the passion for rugby. We want to be important in Spain and in the world, and all that we are in the application, we are delivered to him. All of us are people of rugby, which is our true passion, and we come with the sole objective of developing everything that is our hand.
