Sportsmen Support Basque Newspaper

Sportspersons denounce that closing Egunkaria means shutting up Basque language

As journalists did ten days ago, sportsmen and women hold a pres briefing Tuesday, to express their sympathy to Egunkaria's workers. Over two hundred signed in a big panel in front of the newspaper´s closed door, to show their solidarity to the newspaper. Among those sportsmen and women were some of the most well known Basque athletes, such as the football players Tiko and Jauregi, and hand-ball players Aimar Olaizola and Abel Barrriola.

Many of the 200 were present in the protest, and many others sent their messages from the distance. The athletes decided to leave some of their most precious belongings at Egunkaria; those will be used for a big auction that will be held soon, for gathering money for the newspaper. The stonelifter Iñaki Perurena read the text signed by the sportspersons, after hear ing the thankful words of Egunkaria´s workers Enekoitz Telleria and Ekaitz Agirre. Perurena reminded that Euskaldunon Egunkaria "was the only newspaper in our language", and denounced that closing it means "shutting up" euskera. Perurena said that Egunero, the newspaper that it substituting the closed one, is very necessary right now.

Amaiur Alfaro, Josune Bereziartu, Igor Jauregi and Abel Barriola spoke in representation of the signers in their sport disciplines. The climber Josune Bereziartu said that closing Egunkaria has done a big damage to her sport, as the newspaper had a supplement called "Mundumira" devoted to those sports. But she also said that she hopes that there will be a new paper soon, that will enclose a mountain sports supplement similar to "Mundumira". Igor Jauregi, the footballer from Real Sociedad, said: "We want to show our compromise and help with the new newspaper". Abel Barriola went even further, and said that he is sure that the new publication will have a great future.

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