Participants in the agreement to promote Basque Team

Athletic Club has joined the agreement to promote Basque high-level sports and together with SD Eibar has signed a collaboration agreement with the Basque Team Foundation (created in 2007 by the Basque Government and EiTB) by means of an economic contribution destined entirely to the fulfilment of its social aims. The Minister of Culture and Linguistic Policy, Bingen Zupiria; the coordinator of the Basque Team, Olatz Legarza; the president of Athletic Club, Aitor Elizegi; and the president of the SD Eibar, Amaia Gorostiza, presented this agreement today, 20th of February.

In an act that has taken place in the Basque Country Historical Archive and on the eve of the derby that will dispute the two teams this Saturday, the three parties have congratulated each other on the achievement of an agreement that will bring more resources to the promotion of the Basque high level sport. “The Basque Government and Basque Team would like to thank Athletic Club and SD Eibar for their willingness to sign this agreement. The Basque Team Foundation counts among its more than fifty scholarships holders sportsmen and sportswomen who are among the best in the world in their disciplines. However, these disciplines are not considered professional; so many times the resources that these athletes have to compete with solvency in international events are not enough. This agreement will allow to have more resources to promote the Basque elite sport”, has indicated the counsellor Bingen Zupiria.

In addition, during the event, a video sent from Australia by the Olympic sportsman and woman with Basque Team scholarships, Maialen Chorraut and Ander Elosegi, was shown. In the video, they thanked on behalf of the group of sportsmen and women from the Foundation for the involvement of the Athletic Club and SD Eibar.

According to the agreement, Athletic Club will contribute annually an amount of 179,000€ and SD Eibar 70,000€. These amounts have been estimated according to the budget of each entity and will not vary throughout the validity of the agreements. These collaboration agreements entered into force the 1st of January of 2019 and will have a duration of 2 years (until 31st December 2020), with the option of being extended for successive biannual periods.

Basque Team develops a social function of first order through the projection of the values associated to sport, the support to diversity, the eagerness to improve and the integration of people, or the promotion of sports culture as the backbone elements of society. Its own characteristics and activity make Basque Team a unique space in the world of sports in Euskadi with a presence in international competition.

The collaboration agreement reached between the football clubs and the Foundation contributes to the consolidation of the country-brand and elite sport as a whole as an enriching aspect of Euskadi.