Debate - World footy rankings 2008 - Where to place non-IC08 teams?

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Debate - World footy rankings 2008 - Where to place non-IC08 teams?

Authored by: estany
on Tuesday, February 03 2009 @ 02:45 am ACDT

Catalonia is an official member of several International Sports federations.

> IOC Sports:
- Korfball (IKF), Bowling (FIQ and ETBF), Racquetball (IRF and ERF)

> Other sports
- Rugby League (RLEF), Fistball (IFA), Pitch and putt (FIPPA and EPPA), Twirling (CETB and WBTF), Futsal (AMF and UEFS), ...

(In the websites of the respective federations is possible to read about the membership of Catalonia)

And for example in Bowling, there are a Catalonia Federation and a Spanish federation, both recognized separately.

So, I think that should be ranked as Catalonia, as other International Federations do.

Debate - World footy rankings 2008 - Where to place non-IC08 teams?

Authored by: Brett Northey
on Tuesday, February 03 2009 @ 02:12 pm ACDT

It's definitely a very difficult issue. I must admit I had not heard of several of those sports. The one that got my interest the most was Rugby League, something Australians are familiar with, and which is the kind of level of international football that Australian football can aspire to over the next 20 years.

I see that the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) don't recognise Catalonia. The Rugby League European Federation (RLEF) support the RLIF. They list 4 categories - Full Member, Associate Member, Official Observer and Unranked. Catalonia is listed as Unranked, so I'm not really sure what that means.

Of course if there was an official body that defined what entities are recognised then we would simply defer to them. The AFL is recognised as the world governing body by the biggest leagues / football countries, covering probably 99.9% of players and I'm guessing over 90% of players outside of Australia. They recognised Spain several years ago and I believe maintain that recognition to the exclusion of any others within those boundaries.

I don't know, are there any "big" sports in Spain/Catalonia that recognise Catalonia in terms of world rankings?

Obviously the whole political issue is something to be sorted out within Spain/Catalonia itself over the coming years, and I gather various courts and parliaments continue to debate it. Let me make it clear that I have no opinion on it, it's a big issue and an issue for the people themselves. It's just presenting a small conundrum for these rankings.

Listing as "Spain (Catalonia)" was an attempt at a compromise - not a political compromise of course, but a notation one for the rankings. Perhaps listing as Spain / Catalonia is a very subtle but better compromise? Implying there is ambiguity of what entity exactly is being represented, whilst making it clear in these discussions that the players are from Catalonia.

If AFL Europe is formed and if Catalonia wishes to join at some stage then it will also become an issue for them to debate.

---
Brett Northey - Co-founder and Chief Editor of WFN

Debate - World footy rankings 2008 - Where to place non-IC08 teams?

Authored by: estany
on Saturday, February 07 2009 @ 04:29 am ACDT

Catalonia is not ranked yet in the Rugby League European Federation because was recognised few months ago, and has not participated in World or European Championships since then, as the other federations "unranked".

CataIonia is ranked in 7th place in the International Korfball Federation ranking for november 2008. (Korfball is an sport recognized by the International Olympic Comite)
And, as I wrote, is an official member of other 2 IOC Sports: Bowling and Racquetball. (If you look at the European Racquetball Federation website, you can read that the European Champion 2007 is Victor Montserrat, representing Catalonia)

Also, Catalonia has won twice the Pitch and Putt world Cup.

Catalonia is recognised in several sports, has an Australian Footy League and has played in 3 EU Cups, so I think that should be ranked as Catalonia. But, of course, it's your decision how do you rank them.

I wish that, if AFL Europe is formed, Catalonia could join.

Cheers.

---
Brett Northey - Co-founder and Chief Editor of WFN

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