Real Oviedo, through its Board of Directors and employees, wish to demonstrate its profound rejection of the current, long-term situation which our club and fans have been suffering and is currently suffering.
Firstly, and with reference to the events in the build-up to the match against Real Sporting de Gijón at El Molinón, we wish to state the following:
- We feel proud, yet again, of our fans, who have shown exemplary behaviour in the four derbies against Sporting during the past two seasons. They did not cause a single incident, neither at home nor away. Our supporters have given a tireless display of correct behaviour in spite ofwhat has, at times such as yesterday, been arbitrary and discriminatory treatment. It cannot be permitted that 1,200 people find themselves in a situation whereby they are denied even the most basic sanitary conditions. Just two bathrooms were available for our fans to use during the five hours they were at the stadium, and many supporters were denied access to drinks, food or any other type of sustenance. The body searches undertaken by Real Sporting de Gijón’s private security firm were completely excessive, obliging some of our fans to undress (including women being ordered to strip to underwear). Meanwhile, in other parts of the same, El Molinón, stadium, banners and signs bearing phrases such as “Fck Oviedo” and “Puta Oviedo” were permitted entry, without any sanctions, despite them deliberately infringing current regulations.
- We also regret and reject the treatment given by Real Sporting de Gijón’s private security force when companions of our Board (including women and children) were entering the stadium, as well as other members of the Board and employees of the club. We are grateful for the efficient intervention of the national security forces and the Oviedo Police Coordinator, who allowed the situation to be resolved without further incidents.
- We would like to issue a reminder that Real Oviedo has always complied with the regulations enforced by LaLiga in relation to the entrance and control of visiting fanbases. We have, on many occasions, permitted the entry of items and banners which comply with current regulations, because we understand that this is the essence of the football that we all want. We have offered up treatment that we do not feel to have been reciprocated in any way.
It is for these reasons that we are publicly demonstrating our deep discontent and rejection of the current situation, and it will be backed up by a detailed report. We call upon LaLiga to check that the minimum requirements demanded in away fan areas are being met by all clubs in the division. We are also requesting equal, respectful treatment for fans of every club, whichever stadium they may be travelling to.
Furthermore, institutional relations with Real Sporting de Gijón, which had been correct up until this moment, will be halted moving forwards. This action will last until assurances are provided that our fans, as part of our club, will receive respectful, fair treatment, as they deserve, and just as their fans have received at the Carlos Tartiere.
In addition, Real Oviedo will submit a written, private report to LaLiga, detailing our frustration with certain situations which we consider to have been arbitrary and unjust, and which have repeatedly affected our fans and our club.
There have been unpleasant circumstances, due to the unsupervised, unilateral decision-making by the employees of some clubs, as was the case with UD Extremadura. On that occasion, it meant that fans who made their trip, which was organised and communicated to the visiting club through the proper channels by our security department, were unable to enter the stadium without any explanation from the home club, who refused to sell the tickets that were agreed upon beforehand. A disciplinary case was opened against Real Oviedo for the events which occurred in said match, even though Real Oviedo was the away team, and such actions would supposedly be taken against both clubs. Our club laments the criteria of the proposed sanction and the fact that the disciplinary actions are not equitable for all parties, putting forward this example that we just referenced, which occurred just a few months ago, as the most recent incident. There have been situations, communicated at the time in a private and formal manner through the proper tiers of LaLiga, that have caused us deep discomfort as a club and also as a fanbase. One example was the statement made by representatives of LaLiga, which referred to supposed incidents which never actually happened, and affirmed that our fans were the cause of said “events” during the last match against Sporting de Gijón at the Carlos Tartiere.
In the same way, we have felt that we’ve received unfair treatment on several occasions, such as yesterday, with regard to public treatment. In yesterday’s case it was from Fundación LaLiga, with whom we actively collaborate, and whose work fills us with deep admiration. The post which was published today on their social media, and later removed, in reference to last Sunday’s match, was befitting of a club profile, and not of an entity which represents the values of all of the clubs in the league, nor one which supports Fair Play. Such a particular act should not have major repercussions, but it adds to the feeling that we need to communicate our grievances in a formal manner. We are only asking for fair and respectful treatment, as any other club in the league would expect.
With all of the above mentioned reasoning, and in a peaceful and silent protest, employees of Real Oviedo, led by Board of Directors, will not take our seats at the Carlos Tartiere stadium until the 12th minute of next Sunday’s match against RC Deportivo de la Coruña. We are deeply grateful to our fans for their support of this measure and for their understanding, and express our desire that it may be backed by all of us who feel part of Real Oviedo. The fight against injustice and inequality should be fought by everyone, and just as we have never abandoned our team, we need you now more than ever, dear fans. We will fight together, whatever may happen, for what we believe in.
Finally, the Board of Directors, supported by the majority shareholder, as well as all of us that make up Real Oviedo, publicly declare our conviction that, despite the mistakes that we may have made in the past or the differences of criteria that may exist (and that we understand will always exist), our fans will understand the consequences of our words and actions, or the absence of such, that may occur from this moment on. We hope that they will feel proud that we fight, just as they do, above all else, to achieve the respect that our history, our present and our club deserve.
26th March 2019
EN
