Raül Romeva: "I traveled with the president of the Generalitat, but the one who gets the red carpet rolled out is the president of Barça."

Sant Cugat del VallèsRaül Romeva (Madrid, 1971) spent a good part of his time in prison for his participation in the October 1st trial writing his second doctoral thesis: Sport and physical activity in prisons in CataloniaDespite being known for his political and academic work, Romeva is deeply involved in sports. He was a water polo player and swimmer at CN Sabadell, a club of which he is a member. His children compete: Elda in athletics and Noah in water polo. He now publishes Sport for all (Editorial Base), where he reflects on the present and future of Catalan sport.

What is the objective of this book?

— I've written a book that, in some ways, I would have liked to read. I have a PhD in international relations from the Autonomous University, and while in prison, I wrote my second thesis on sports. I've always had the feeling that it's an element that everyone values positively but that no one considers a priority. And it surprises me. You don't find anyone who is radically against all types of sports. But it's never a priority for governments and administrators. Sometimes they appoint young, inexperienced politicians to lead sports. But it's very important. What were people doing during the pandemic? Sports. I've traveled the world with the president of the Generalitat (Catalan government), but the one who gets the red carpet rolled out is the president of Barça.

The book vindicates our...

— What we have is no accident, thanks to years of tradition. Sport gives us very useful tools to value. We have a brand thanks to the 1992 Games, at Barça, and to the fact that people want to train here... We need to put sport at the center of the debate, not to compete or take space from other areas, no. Sport can serve to promote other things. Sport as a vector of the knowledge society, research, innovation, culture... The Basques are clear about this. There, traditional sports are culture. Our clubs, human towers, and sports are too. We have a great legacy, but be careful, because it can be lost if not cared for.

Catalonia has a very rich sport, with many associations.

— This is part of a country's culture. Catalonia is a country in which, unlike the rest of Spain, we have a tremendous associative fabric. Here, sport is created by clubs and the people. In other parts of Spain, it's top-down: clubs or initiatives are created by the decision of those in power. Sport plays a major role at the local level, and it's necessary to understand that. Now it's also a major global player in this changing world. Look at the IOC. who has chosen a young African woman as presidentIn terms of equal opportunities, gender equality, transphobia, and homophobia, sport has an impact that other areas lack. When someone like soccer player Megan Rapinoe gave a speech against Trump, it carried more power than if some politicians spoke.

Is the book born in part from the work you did in prison?

— In prison, you have a lot of time, and I was able to read a lot. So I started asking for sports books. When the officers came to check my cell, they already turned a blind eye because it was full of papers, books, and documents. [Smiles] I wrote my thesis on how sports are a tool for transformation in the prison environment. There I saw its potential. Very different people are in prison, and the topic of conversation is soccer. But the prison sports technicians are treated like physical education teachers giving children a ball to play with. More could be done. Reading among prisoners can be encouraged with newspapers and books about sports. Create dynamics, help. I have an anecdote. In Soto del Real, from time to time, we could play sports on some treadmills. spinning storms. I was a monitor, in a way, with a group that included Jordi Cuixart, [Rodrigo] Rato, and [Luis] Bárcenas.

It is the strength of sport.

— Exactly. You invite any official to the Palau de Generalitat for a reception, and they tell you they have a full schedule. However, when you tell them they're going to Barça's stadium, no one misses the opportunity. Sport has a power that everyone recognizes. So, let's give it a status and stop trivializing it.

Haven't ventures like the America's Cup sailing tournament or the attempt to host the Winter Olympics helped?

— The Copa América was sold as an Olympic Games, and it wasn't. It certainly has its good points. But the moment you pretend it's something else is when people feel cheated. And it has to do with this vision of a bubble sport, which is a commercial project. And with the Winter Olympics... The problem is that we need to rethink the concept of the Winter Games and make them into a Games during the winter, Because it's undeniable that there's little snow. There's a study that shows that many of the former Winter Games venues could no longer be used in a few years due to lack of snow. Furthermore, in the case of the Pyrenees, it's necessary to rethink the territory. You can't create an Olympic Games project in the Pyrenees; you need to create a project for the Pyrenees and see if the Games are a good fit. The people there ask for transportation, jobs, services... The area is poorly connected, young people can't find work... Sport must be part of a larger plan, be at the center, not seen as an isolated product.

Catalonia is a benchmark in event organization, however.

— True, and we must take care of it. I'm delighted that the Tour will be held in 2026, with three stages. These proposals add value, but we must be vigilant, as there is an oversaturation of events in places like Barcelona or Banyoles. When we reach that point, it means we're not doing something right. We must recover sport as a collective space, not as an environment for certain economic groups to conduct their business. The key is for people to feel it belongs to them.

The book discusses the future of Catalonia, the sports law, and the possibility of national team recognition.

— Now we have cases like the rugby, in which it is clear that Catalonia could compete officiallyBut all of this has a clear solution. The day you become a state, this problem ends. But official national teams are a red line for Spain. And this should tell us that if the State reacts this way, it means it's a very important issue. So, what proposal do I make? Since this window of officialization is very difficult now and the amount of resources we would have to dedicate to it would be very high, I think that instead of obsessing over an official status that shouldn't be abandoned, we should obsess over creating a good sports fabric. Let Catalan sport be the brand. We need Catalan champions, ambassadors of Catalan sport, before official national teams.

From the outside to the inside. There's work to be done...

— And sport is an asset that helps us work. It reaches neighborhoods where other people don't. Clubs offer opportunities and create spaces where people meet and talk, playing. Or the case of the La Mina Wrestling Club or the Ramassà de les Franqueses Football Club, an NGO created to promote cooperation through football.

INEF?

— No, psychology. I also thought it was INEF, but it's psychology. It means you have trained people, who have competed, who have learned the values of self-improvement in sports, ready to help society, to contribute. Many know they've done brutal training, have learned how to manage emotions and expectations... And as in other countries, they can help with public or private positions and jobs.