In the stands of the Palau Sant Jordi, during the 2013 World Cup in Barcelona, a girl named Iris Tió caught the attention of many. At just nine years old, she pointed to the pool and declared, “I want to be like her”. The girl she was referring to was Ona Carbonell, a renowned Spanish artistic swimmer. Fast forward to today, and Iris Tió has become the new star of Spanish artistic swimming, symbolizing the resurrection of the national team.

The Spanish artistic swimming team experienced a significant setback after the Anna Tarrés case, which led to the dismissal of their coach and the departure of several swimmers. As a result, they missed the Rio 2016 Olympics and struggled to regain their former glory. However, for the Paris 2024 Olympics, they have already secured two spots and are once again aiming for medals.

At the recent World Cup in Doha, Tió and her partner Alisa Ozhogina, along with the team, finished in fourth position. While there is still work to be done, there is plenty of time and drive to improve, with the possibility of achieving great success in the coming months. So, how did Spain revive its artistic swimming? It can be attributed to the enthusiasm of young athletes like Tió, the efforts of the new technical team led by Mayuko Fujiki, and changes in the regulations.

The coach, Fujiki, praises Iris and Alisa as “two stars” who made their debut in Tokyo at a young age and are expected to follow in the footsteps of previous Spanish champions like Ona Carbonell and Gemma Mengual. Despite coming from different training backgrounds, Tió from Kallipolis of Barcelona and Ozhogina from Sincro Sevilla, both have displayed the style and techniques reminiscent of Russia’s artistic swimming school, which has traditionally dominated the sport.

While Tió and Ozhogina achieved success at the recent championship, earning bronze in the duo and silver with the team in the technical part, they faced challenges in the free exercises and acrobatic part. The coach acknowledges that improvements need to be made to secure a spot on the podium in Paris.

After the departure of Anna Tarrés in 2012, the technical direction of the national team was greatly affected. It was only in 2017 that Mayuko Fujiki took over as the coach, bringing her experience as a bronze medalist with the Japanese team in the 1996 Atlanta Games. Fujiki had previously worked as an advisor to Tarrés and had experience coaching in the United States and China. She introduced new methodologies and worked towards uniting swimmers from different regions of Spain.

One significant change in the sport is the new regulations that have made artistic swimming more unpredictable. The sport, previously known as synchronized swimming, now rewards stunts and punishes mistakes more, leading to unexpected outcomes. In the next Olympic Games in Paris 2024, while Russia and China are expected to be strong competitors, anything can happen in the duo and team events.

With talented athletes like Iris Tió leading the way, Spain has made a remarkable comeback in the world of artistic swimming. The dedication of the athletes, the guidance of the new coaching team, and the adaptability to the evolving regulations have all contributed to Spain’s revival as a force to be reckoned with in the sport.

FC Barcelona is required to pay the Treasury 23 million euros in personal income tax for remuneration to sports agents between 2012 and 2015. The National Court has upheld the Central Economic Administrative Court’s decision and rejected the appeal made by the club’s chairman, Joan Laporta.

According to the Fourth Section of the court, the club failed to make a timely tax settlement amounting to 8.7 million euros, and it also imposed fines of 3 million euros for 2012, 4 million euros for 2013, 5 million euros for 2014, and nearly one million euros for 2015, which was the final year of the contingency period.

The Court states that payments made to player representatives are considered income from work, as per the Player Agent Regulations, because the services are provided to the players and not the club. Therefore, the payments are subject to withholding tax at the time of payment. However, Barcelona argues that these payments benefit the club and should not be classified as income from work.

Tax misrepresentation

The court refers to the tax “misrepresentation” carried out by the club. The court’s ruling states, “The Inspection concludes that the relationship between FCB and the agents is merely a cover for the payments made by the club to the players. The Chamber shares this assessment.”

In essence, the Tax Agency believes that the tax obligations arising from these payments are based on a contractual relationship that is different from what the parties have stated as the reason for the provision of services.

According to the Chamber, Barcelona used deceptive practices to obtain tax advantages that are not aligned with the actual operation conducted. It seems that the club was compensating the agent for non-existent services, when in fact, part of the remuneration was being paid to the player for the services rendered to the club.

Cassation appeal

Barcelona has announced its intention to file an appeal with the Supreme Court within the 30-day timeframe. The club will try to justify the discrepancies in tax perceptions between them and the Tax Agency.

Barcelona is surprised that the National Court’s Fourth Chamber did not consider the recent jurisprudence of the High Court, which has benefited other football clubs. They also highlight that the same court upheld an appeal a few months ago that arose from the same inspection.

The ruling by the National Court does not impose an immediate payment obligation, as the final decision will be made by the Supreme Court. However, the club assures that “this contingency has been adequately provisioned in the annual accounts.”

The first time Marc Márquez rode a Ducati was during the MotoGP World Championship sometime between 2014 and his debut in 2013. He had a successful test run, finishing with the fourth best time ahead of his competitors. There was a lot of anticipation and excitement surrounding Márquez’s return to racing on the Desmosedici, with many expecting him to dominate once again.

However, during the recent preseason tests in Malaysia, Márquez’s performance was not as impressive as expected. He finished sixth in the standings, behind several other Ducati riders. While his times were still decent, it was clear that Márquez still had some adjusting to do with the new team and bike. He acknowledged that he needed to regain his confidence and that winning the championship again might take some time.

Adapting to the Ducati has proven to be a complex process for Márquez. The bike is quite different from his previous Honda, and he is still getting to know the team members in his garage. He was only able to bring one mechanic from his old team, and communication with the rest of the team is a mix of Spanish and Italian.

The upcoming season is expected to be dominated by Bagnaia and Martín, with little competition from other teams. The Ducati’s speed advantage has made it difficult for Honda and Yamaha to compete. This could potentially pose a problem for the future of MotoGP, as these two brands struggle to attract sponsors and retain their star riders. It remains to be seen if they will continue racing in MotoGP or consider other options.

The first half died in the Metropolitano and Atlético de Madrid lost 0-1 against Athletic de Bilbao. The team was not having a bad game, but there was a lack of a spark at an offensive level that usually featured a Frenchman who seemed unknown. So much so that in an inconsequential split ball in the midfield, Antoine Griezmann arrived late and stepped on Oihan Sancet's ankle with his studs.. The tackle went unnoticed by the field referee and the VAR did not enter because the color was torn between orange and red.

Although it is difficult to be in the players' heads, if we turn to Griezmann's history we deduce that the Frenchman did not intend to harm the Basque midfielder but that the lack of physicality made him arrive late and hit the rival's joint hard, which, fortunately, did not. had trouble continuing. This action was not something specific, the striker wandered around the field and even, on occasions, decided wrongly.. Something, by the way, that is not usually normal either.. What happens to Griezmann then?

If we turn to the physical aspect, it makes sense that the Frenchman is tired. Griezmann is the second outfield player with the most minutes in the Atlético de Madrid squad, only surpassed by Witsel. There are 2,768 for the Belgian and 2,762 for the French, a minimal difference at a quantitative level, but important at a qualitative level.. Griezmann, due to his position, makes more efforts at high intensity than Witsel. “Football is a non-cyclical system,” says Jonatan Rotaexte, physical trainer and director of Henao Sports, about a sport of punctual and non-constant efforts.

If we talk about seasons, this is one of the most physically demanding for the Frenchman.. Of the 15 that he has been present in professional football, only in two of them has he played more minutes per game than in this one.. The forward played 85.7 minutes per game in 2016/17 and 84.6 in 2018/19. We are talking about 4,544 minutes in 53 games in the first and 4,062 in 48 duels in the second. In this one, in which he has played 34 games, he plays 81 minutes per game, six more than the previous season.. And, in addition, it is seven years older than in 2017. “Playing every three days subjects the player to a high probability of injury,” confirms Rotaetxe.

“He has a lot of minutes,” club sources say about the Frenchman and remember, precisely, that he plays everything for his country.. In fact, Simeone already complained after a national team break in November about the lack of sensitivity with the footballer's physique.. “It's a shame that clubs have to manage players,” lamented the Argentine coach.

That is something that happens less with big stars, and Griezmann is it.. “He knows how to manage himself,” Cholo himself says of the Frenchman and Rotaexte confirms it: “The quality player manages space and time and allows him to manage his efforts.. His perception allows him to have more time to act.”. However, it looks strange for an all-rounder like him.. If something has stood out about the new Griezmann who returned to Atlético in 2021 with the intention that the fans would forgive his three-year chapter at FC Barcelona, it is his effort and his commitment.

He maintains his commitment, but in these last matches Griezmann has been seen as somewhat more apathetic.. With sporadic stellar appearances, such as the wonderful pass to Lino to open the scoring against Valencia or the duel won against Chavarría to win the match against Rayo in the last breath. But with much less presence in the game than at the beginning of the season where it was the offensive epicenter of Atlético de Madrid.

good numbers

Griezmann has 18 goals and seven assists, stratospheric numbers, but they have been slowed down, especially the scoring aspect, in these last matches.. In the league he has not scored since his double on December 19, 2023, matchday 18, in which his team tied 3-3 with Getafe at home. Then he scored in both matches against Madrid in the Super Cup and Cup with different results.. However, in assists on goal, the Frenchman has achieved four in the last five games.

On an emotional level, they say from the club that he is “as always” and they talk about him being a joking player “who makes a group” and that he is the first to welcome the new additions as Gabriel Paulista highlighted in his presentation. “Seeing him next to me left me calm with the jokes, the music, he left me calm to be able to work. Now, to enjoy by his side,” highlighted the defender of the red-and-white star intermittently in this last period.

The first time Marc Márquez hopped on a Ducati, it was a significant moment in the MotoGP World Championship. Whether it was in 2014, 2016, 2019, or any time between his MotoGP debut on March 23, 2013, and his injury in July 2020, the anticipation was high. Last November, during a test run in Cheste, Márquez showcased his talent on the Desmosedici bike. He quickly became the fastest, outperforming his competitors like Pecco Bagnaia and Jorge Martín.

With his impressive performance, many started placing bets on Márquez, confident that he would dominate the championship once again. After spending a decade with Honda, he had returned to his true form, ready to claim victories, podiums, and pole positions. However, during the preseason tests at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia this week, Márquez fell short of expectations. He finished sixth in the standings, behind four other Ducati riders and Aleix Espargaró.

Márquez acknowledged that the past three years had been challenging, and regaining confidence was crucial. He expressed caution regarding his performance, stating that he might not be fast enough to contend for the World Cup just yet. Adapting to the Gresini team and the Ducati bike proved to be a complex process. Márquez still felt stiff and uncomfortable, unable to push his limits or take risks to avoid injury.

Joining Ducati meant leaving behind his old team and only being able to sign one mechanic. As he communicated with his Gresini team members, Márquez primarily relied on his chief mechanic, Frankie Carchedi, who played a key role in Joan Mir’s 2020 championship win with Suzuki.

While Márquez’s journey with Ducati promised to be the most intriguing storyline of the upcoming season, the dominance of Bagnaia and Martín seemed inevitable. Without changes to the regulations and with the aerodynamic advantage of the Ducati, Honda and Yamaha appeared to be fading into insignificance. This lack of competition could pose a problem for the future of MotoGP, as both brands struggled to secure victories, retain sponsors, and justify their presence in the championship.

The Catalan Football Federation (FCF) has confessed to judge Joaquín Aguirre that it paid José María Enríquez Negreira shortly after Barça dispensed with his services, again, in exchange for verbal reports and without any contract mediated. The reason was to decide “which referees could become professionals.”

On this occasion, those responsible have communicated in writing to the instructor of the 'Negreira case' that the reason why they signed the former number two of the Spanish referees starting in 2019 was to “give their opinion” on which Catalan referees “had conditions to become professional referees in the future”.

This is the response that the FCF has sent to the Court of Instruction number one of Barcelona, to which EL MUNDO has had exclusive access, within the framework of the separate piece opened to investigate the personal assets of the historic referee leader. It shows that, despite being out of the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) since 2018, he continued to enjoy influence over the referee group and receive funds.

These new operations ratify the statements made in recent months by around twenty members before the Civil Guard in which the arbitrators recorded, contrary to what was stated by the current CTA leadership, that Negreira always enjoyed significant decision-making capacity in the colective.

According to this territorial federation, at least half a dozen invoices issued by Negreira's instrumental companies were paid, specifically by Dasnil, 95, SL, one of which he used to invoice almost 8 million euros to Barça for almost two decades.. On this occasion, Negreira's emoluments were much more discreet than those he received from the Barça club and amounted to around 2,000 euros per quarter.

The FCF explains that it paid Negreira to “accompany the members of the Executive Commission of the Referees Committee to see referees in official First Catalan and Third Federation matches.”

“What facets should be improved”

“Negreira gave his opinion and advice on whether those referees could have the conditions to become professional referees in the future,” adds the letter sent by the federation officials to the court investigating the biggest scandal in the history of Spanish football and which maintains as investigated the last Barça presidents as well as the entity itself, to whom it attributes the crimes of bribery or sports corruption, among others.

The Catalan federation adds in its response to Judge Aguirre that Negreira suggested “what facets the referees should improve” to reach professional football, given his experience as vice president of the National Committee of Referees” as well as his career as an “international referee.”

“Given that these advisory tasks were carried out in the presence of the Executive Commission of the Technical Committee of Referees, no report was issued,” continues the FCF, which thus admits that it carried out the same 'modus operandi' as the Barça when it comes to paying the historic referee leader.

“Notes of his advice”

“The members” who accompanied him “made appropriate notes on their advice and then evaluated it internally”. “He was also available to the aforementioned Executive Commission for any advice on aspects of the rules of the game or organizational aspects,” he concludes.

Within the framework of this same separate piece, the Civil Guard has concluded that, for the moment, it has not noticed any unjustified increase in assets in active professional members, some of whom were reported so that their assets could be traced.

These payments by the FCF took place months after Negreira threatened Barça through two burofaxes revealed by this newspaper that would uncover all the “irregularities” that he knew about the club if they cut off the payments that he had been receiving for 20 years.