Showing Euskadi on a jersey is not advertising

On Tuesday November 30, 2004 a press conference was held to inform on the agreement reached between the Basque Government’s Culture Affairs Ministry and Athletic Club

President Fernando Lamikiz as well as Vicepresidents José Miguel Lanzagorta and Ana Urkijo were at the press conference. Members of the Board of Directors Eukeni Olabarri, Juan Ignacio Bustamante, Juan Manuel Delgado and Juan Carlos Ercoreca were also there.

President Fernando Lamikiz has announced the agreement and has stated very clearly that showing the word Euskadi on the jersey is not advertising. On their race for the Presidency, this Board of Directors stated very clearly they did not want to show any advertising on jerseys and that is why they let the public know this is by no means part of an advertising campaign. This agreement was reached after the Basque Government’s Culture Ministry, and more concretely, after Miren Azcarate, Cultural Affairs Minister had made their proposal and, it has been afterwards that the tough, difficult steps taken have made it possible for the Athletic Club to show the word Euskadi on their jerseys on their match against the Steaua. It has not been easy

UEFA is very strict with its rules and it is complicated to have a change in a team’s uniform design accepted once the competition is in progress. Athletic Club has negotiated this initiative with the corresponding organizations and on Monday 29 a fax from UEFA was received saying that Athletic could wear their jersey against Steaua and also against Standard from Lieja. If only could they wear it in the final match next May 18 in Lisbon! What UEFA did require is that Athletic Club wears this jersey in some other national competition and after consulting it with RFEF and receiving their approval, players will also wear this uniform during Cup matches to be played in January.

Fernando Lamikiz has also taken the opportunity to present their new third uniform and above all, to express Athletic Club’s pride in showing the name of Euskadi all throughout Europe and in Cup matches He also wanted to reiterate that this does not mean they are advertising anything, since Euskadi is not a commercial trademark and that showing Euskadi on their jersey is another means to strengthen the Club’s philosophy: that we are proud of a team made up of Basque players or players who have been brought up in our country. Showing Euskadi strengthens our identity.

The Club will receive 350.000 Euros for the two matches, plus 100.000 for other services.

After that, Fernando Lamikiz answered questions made by all those who were present at the press conference.