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Barcelona makes sailing history after being named America’s Cup host

Barcelona will become the first venue to stage an Olympic Games (1992) and an America's Cup after it was awarded the hosting of the latter for the 2024 edition on Tuesday.

Published: 29 March 2022 17:17 CEST
Barcelona makes sailing history after being named America's Cup host
The America's Cup, informally known as the Auld Mug, is a trophy awarded in the sport of sailing. It is the oldest international competition still operating in any sport(Photo by DEAN TREML / AFP)

As reigning champions, Team New Zealand had the right to decide the host city and chose Barcelona.

A statement on the official America’s Cup website described Barcelona as having “world class facilities” for racing, “as well as an average wind range of 9 to 15 knots during the September and October race window”, which makes the city “completely fit for purpose”.

Team New Zealand defended the Auld Mug last year after beating the Italian team, Luna Rossa.

Team New Zealand chief executive Grant Dalton said: “Barcelona really is one of the most recognised cities in the world so to have the ability to host the most recognised sailing event in the world is hugely exciting.”

“When thinking ahead to the 37th America’s Cup and the AC75’s racing within a few hundred metres of the Barcelona beach, waterfront, and race village fan engagement zones it will be nothing less than spectacular,” Dalton added.

Barcelona beat Malaga and Jeddah in the bidding and takes over from Auckland as host.

The America’s Cup was first contested in 1851 and claims to be the oldest competition in international sport.

Barcelona mayor Ada Colau said: “This should serve to promote the city to the world after the pandemic, to benefit Barcelona’s tradition of this sport in a city by the sea and in addition, to boost the emerging sector of innovation and technology, linked to nautical activities.”

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FOOTBALL

Vinicius says Spain should lose 2030 World Cup unless racism declines

Brazilian striker Vinicius Junior has called for Spain to be stripped of its 2030 World Cup hosting duties unless it makes progress on the issue of racism in stadiums.

Published: 5 September 2024 14:54 CEST
Vinicius says Spain should lose 2030 World Cup unless racism declines

The Real Madrid star, who has repeatedly been the victim of racist abuse from opposition fans at La Liga matches, said during an interview broadcast on CNN on Tuesday that more needed to be done to change attitudes in Spanish society.

“Until 2030, there is a lot of room for improvement, so I hope that Spain can evolve and understand how serious it is to insult someone because of the colour of their skin,” the 24-year-old striker said.

“If by 2030 things don’t improve, I think we have to move the location because if a player doesn’t feel comfortable and safe playing in a country where they can suffer racism, it’s a bit difficult.”

His comments caused an uproar in Spain, which will host the 2030 World Cup alongside Portugal and Morocco, with three matches also taking place in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.

“Spain is in no way a racist country,” Vinicius’s Real Madrid teammate Dani Carvajal told a news conference on Wednesday, adding Spain “does not deserve to be deprived of the World Cup”.

“I know what Vinicius has to put up with but La Liga is improving and protocols are being drawn up so that these people can no longer take part in sporting events,” the defender said.

Spain national team coach Luis de la Fuente agreed with Carvajal.

“There are always undesirables but Spain is not racist, it is an example of coexistence and integration,” he said.

Madrid’s conservative mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida condemned Vinicius’s comments, calling them “deeply unfair”, and said he should apologise.

A Spanish court in June handed three Valencia fans eight-month jail terms for racist abuse towards Vinicius Junior at a La Liga match last year, the first such conviction in Spain.

In July, another person was given an eight-month suspended jail term for online racist abuse targeting Vinicius and his German Real Madrid teammate Antonio Rudiger.

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