CiF backs Formentera's judo delegation on spat with Eivissa athletes

Sergio Jiménez, councillor of sports of the Formentera Council, joined by Eugenio de la Dueña, local delegate on Formentera to the Federació Balear de Judo, held a joint press conference this morning in the council's plenary hall.

In so doing, the Formentera Council wishes to make clear its support for the stance maintained by Formentera's delegation of judo athletes in a recent conflict with the Eivissa delegation.

In December, Eivissa's judo delegation, which comprises all four of the judo clubs on the island, indicated that it would not participate in the finals competition that is traditionally held on the smaller of the two Pitiüsa islands. It was also indicated that Formentera's athletes, despite having participated this last season in the competitive meets held on Eivissa, would not be ranked.

According to Eugenio de la Dueña, “the move is an attempt to modify the system of classification for the regional judo championship. Currently, Eivissa and Formentera athletes' ability to compete is conditioned on the fulfilment of certain quota. To meet it, athletes must compete competitively throughout the year.”

The position adopted by Eivissa means “a new system of classification on an island-by-island basis. Formentera would have a set number of participants at the Balearic campeonat and Eivissa another. The problem is, with only have one judo club on Formentera, we would suddenly be unable to host the meets that would allow our athletes to qualify.”

De la Dueña affirmed that the president of the Balearic judo federation, Miguel Ángel Bizquerro, “[had] attempted to reach a solution convening meetings between both parties and proposing that Formentera athletes participate in two meets in Mallorca. However, the task of mobilising 28 athletes – together with trainers and referees – carries a cost that is currently beyond our means.”

Sergio Jiménez declared that “separating competitive meets in Eivissa and Formentera would be disastrous for Formentera. Formentera usually has just one club for each sport, so if Formentera judo athletes were unable to compete with Eivissa clubs the motivation to evolve and improve would disappear.”

According to de la Dueña, the current conflict has its roots in a formal complaint brought by Formentera before the Federació Balear de Judo and the Govern Balear's Department of Sports. In the complaint, Formentera bemoaned poor treatment received 16 November at the hands of the Eivissa delegation.

Despite plans to host the first meet of the season on Eivissa, Formentera athletes who took the ferry on that day were met with a closed sports centre, shut temporarily following the death of Sant Jordi football club president Kiko Serra. De la Dueña affirmed that “it was not the adjourning of the meet, rather, the failure to communicate this fact to the Formentera club that had been problematic, occasioning as it did unnecessary travel costs and inconveniences for all.”

De la Dueña reiterated the request being made by Formentera of the Eivissa delegation: “That this season—already expected to be difficult due to adverse weather conditions—competitions occur as in years past. And if changes must be made to the pacts signed by the delegations, we hope these can be made next year.”