On 8th January 1997, the GFA applied to FIFA for membership of that organisation.
In March 1999, FIFA confirmed that the GFA had conformed to the requirements of Article 4.7 of the FIFA Statutes and that in consequence thereof FIFA was passing its file on the GFA to UEFA.
On the 12th day of April 1999, the GFA applied for membership of UEFA.
In May 2000, UEFA and FIFA conducted a joint inspection of the football related facilities in Gibraltar and in consequence thereof the UEFA Administration produced a report dated 11th July 2000 in which the Executive Committee of UEFA were recommended to grant the GFA membership of UEFA provided that three conditions were satisfied. The GFA has confirmed to said three conditions and this has been accepted by the UEFA Administration. The UEFA Administration stated in its report that "the FA of Gibraltar fulfils all requisite statutory conditions for admission to UEFA".
In August 2000, notice of the GFA's application to UEFA was leaked to the Spanish media and in consequence thereof, both the Spanish Government and its political parties commenced a virulent campaign to prevent the GFA's application from succeeding on purely political grounds; namely all Spanish objections to our application were based on their claim to Sovereignty of Gibraltar following from a Treaty made in 1713 between England and Spain. None of the Spanish objections were based on or related to sporting considerations or criteria.
In consequence of the Spanish political objections as voiced to UEFA through the Spanish Football Association the Executive Committee of UEFA at its meeting of the 14/15th December 2000 decided to appoint three independent judges to consider the legality and validity of the Spanish objections to the GFA's application. In May 2001, this independent legal panel heard the submissions of the Spanish and English Football associations as well as the GFA's. On the 27th August 2001, the independent legal panel issued its report in which they rejected all Spanish objections to the GFA's application and stated that "the GFA was entitled to provisional admission as a member of UEFA".
Notwithstanding the report of the independent legal panel the Executive Committee of UEFA decided on the 7th September 2001 to postpone indefinitely consideration of the GFA's application for membership. In consequence of the Executive Committee's refusal to consider and decide on the application for membership the GFA had no alternative but to take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
On the 11th October 2001 UEFA Congress approved the change of the UEFA Statutes so that as from the 1st January 2002 UEFA membership would only be open to associations from a country recognised by the UN.
On the 12th July 2002 UEFA finally confirmed its consent to accept CAS Jurisdiction with regard to the GFA's claims against UEFA.
On the 22nd day of October 2003, the Court of Arbitration for Sport held that UEFA "is ordered to decide on the GFA's application for membership on the basis of the UEFA rules applicable at the time when the application was made. The decision has to be made by UEFA be no later than the 31st March 2004".
On the 22nd day of March 2004, the Executive Committee of UEFA refused the GFA's application for membership notwithstanding that it accepted that the GFA met all sporting requirements and criteria for eligibility to membership. The Executive Committee stated that "the main reason for this decision is that the Gibraltar Football Association does not fulfil the criteria for FIFA membership". In consequence of such a refusal the GFA had no alternative but to file on the 12th May 2005 a new case in the Court of Arbitration for Sport. On the 6th July 2006 the Court ordered that:-
On the 4/5th October 2006 the Executive Committee again met and once again in breach of the Court order did not grant the GFA provisional membership and instead adjourned the matter to the 7/8th December 2006 because the Spanish Football Association had filed a report objecting to the GFA's application on the grounds that the football stadium built in 1949 is situated on land which Spain argues is theirs under the 1713 Treaty!!
As has been mentioned, Spanish objections to the GFA's application are based solely on political arguments associated with their claims on Sovereignty. The GFA fervently believes in UEFA's own philosophy as set out in UEFA's Statutes that UEFA and its members must not discriminate on grounds of ethnic origin, politics or race. The GFA is not concerned with the politics of Sovereignty claims or with those that wish to introduce a political element into a matter which is of a purely sporting nature. As required by the 1997 UEFA Statutes which govern the GFA's application, the GFA controls football in Gibraltar. UEFA's object is to develop and promote football in the four corners of Europe. The GFA wishes to develop and promote football in Gibraltar and Gibraltar is part of Europe. UEFA is therefore obliged by its Statutes to assist the GFA through membership to achieve the desired aim of all which is to promote and develop football in Gibraltar. Why should the youth of Gibraltar be denied the opportunity of achieving every child's dream of becoming a professional footballer playing in international competitions simply because of one nation's desire to mix politics with sport in breach of UEFA's own Statutes. Such children should be permitted and be given the facilities to enable them to achieve such dreams!
In March 1999, FIFA confirmed that the GFA had conformed to the requirements of Article 4.7 of the FIFA Statutes and that in consequence thereof FIFA was passing its file on the GFA to UEFA.
On the 12th day of April 1999, the GFA applied for membership of UEFA.
In May 2000, UEFA and FIFA conducted a joint inspection of the football related facilities in Gibraltar and in consequence thereof the UEFA Administration produced a report dated 11th July 2000 in which the Executive Committee of UEFA were recommended to grant the GFA membership of UEFA provided that three conditions were satisfied. The GFA has confirmed to said three conditions and this has been accepted by the UEFA Administration. The UEFA Administration stated in its report that "the FA of Gibraltar fulfils all requisite statutory conditions for admission to UEFA".
In August 2000, notice of the GFA's application to UEFA was leaked to the Spanish media and in consequence thereof, both the Spanish Government and its political parties commenced a virulent campaign to prevent the GFA's application from succeeding on purely political grounds; namely all Spanish objections to our application were based on their claim to Sovereignty of Gibraltar following from a Treaty made in 1713 between England and Spain. None of the Spanish objections were based on or related to sporting considerations or criteria.
In consequence of the Spanish political objections as voiced to UEFA through the Spanish Football Association the Executive Committee of UEFA at its meeting of the 14/15th December 2000 decided to appoint three independent judges to consider the legality and validity of the Spanish objections to the GFA's application. In May 2001, this independent legal panel heard the submissions of the Spanish and English Football associations as well as the GFA's. On the 27th August 2001, the independent legal panel issued its report in which they rejected all Spanish objections to the GFA's application and stated that "the GFA was entitled to provisional admission as a member of UEFA".
Notwithstanding the report of the independent legal panel the Executive Committee of UEFA decided on the 7th September 2001 to postpone indefinitely consideration of the GFA's application for membership. In consequence of the Executive Committee's refusal to consider and decide on the application for membership the GFA had no alternative but to take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
On the 11th October 2001 UEFA Congress approved the change of the UEFA Statutes so that as from the 1st January 2002 UEFA membership would only be open to associations from a country recognised by the UN.
On the 12th July 2002 UEFA finally confirmed its consent to accept CAS Jurisdiction with regard to the GFA's claims against UEFA.
On the 22nd day of October 2003, the Court of Arbitration for Sport held that UEFA "is ordered to decide on the GFA's application for membership on the basis of the UEFA rules applicable at the time when the application was made. The decision has to be made by UEFA be no later than the 31st March 2004".
On the 22nd day of March 2004, the Executive Committee of UEFA refused the GFA's application for membership notwithstanding that it accepted that the GFA met all sporting requirements and criteria for eligibility to membership. The Executive Committee stated that "the main reason for this decision is that the Gibraltar Football Association does not fulfil the criteria for FIFA membership". In consequence of such a refusal the GFA had no alternative but to file on the 12th May 2005 a new case in the Court of Arbitration for Sport. On the 6th July 2006 the Court ordered that:-
- the Executive Committee is ordered to admit the GFA to provisional membership at its next meeting;
- the Executive Committee is ordered to put the question of the GFA's application for full membership before the next meeting of the UEFA Congress;
- the UEFA Congress is ordered to decide on the GFA's application in accordance with the letter and spirit of the CAS Award.
On the 4/5th October 2006 the Executive Committee again met and once again in breach of the Court order did not grant the GFA provisional membership and instead adjourned the matter to the 7/8th December 2006 because the Spanish Football Association had filed a report objecting to the GFA's application on the grounds that the football stadium built in 1949 is situated on land which Spain argues is theirs under the 1713 Treaty!!
Politics
As has been mentioned, Spanish objections to the GFA's application are based solely on political arguments associated with their claims on Sovereignty. The GFA fervently believes in UEFA's own philosophy as set out in UEFA's Statutes that UEFA and its members must not discriminate on grounds of ethnic origin, politics or race. The GFA is not concerned with the politics of Sovereignty claims or with those that wish to introduce a political element into a matter which is of a purely sporting nature. As required by the 1997 UEFA Statutes which govern the GFA's application, the GFA controls football in Gibraltar. UEFA's object is to develop and promote football in the four corners of Europe. The GFA wishes to develop and promote football in Gibraltar and Gibraltar is part of Europe. UEFA is therefore obliged by its Statutes to assist the GFA through membership to achieve the desired aim of all which is to promote and develop football in Gibraltar. Why should the youth of Gibraltar be denied the opportunity of achieving every child's dream of becoming a professional footballer playing in international competitions simply because of one nation's desire to mix politics with sport in breach of UEFA's own Statutes. Such children should be permitted and be given the facilities to enable them to achieve such dreams!