Small sport stirs up controversy in Spain as Basque Country makes its international debut

MADRID (AP) — A small sport popular in Spain’s northern Basque Country has stirred up a political controversy that triggered court action and fanned the region's long-held feelings of nationalism.

There has been back-and-forth spats between sports officials and politicians after the Basque Country region was allowed to compete as a nation in international competitions in pelota vasca, a sport that was in the Olympics more than 100 years ago but is now rarely seen in most parts of the world.

Even sport's highest court was asked to get involved.

The dispute culminated this weekend in what many had thought was an impossible scenario: The Basque Country and Spain playing against each other in an international sporting event — the pelota vasca Nations League.

The Basque Country, also known as Euskadi, maintains a strong cultural identity and traditions in a region once scarred by violence. The Basque separatist movement began in the late 1950s and was led by the now-defunct militant group ETA. In 2011, the group declared a “definitive end” to an armed conflict that killed nearly 900 people, and it officially disbanded in 2018.

Pelota vasca, also known as Basque pelota, is played on a court with players using their hands and different types of rackets to hit the ball against a high wall. Depending on which version of the sport is being played, there are different court measurements — all of them with a high front wall and most with another high side wall. The biggest court is 54 meters long (177 feet long).

In the Basque Country region, it’s considered by many as a national sport.

There were jeers when the Spanish national anthem played at the awards ceremony in the Basque Country location of Gernika-Lumo.

The Basque Country won the men’s final on Friday night, while Spain took the victory in the women’s decider.

The sport's Spanish federation had strongly opposed the recognition of the Basque team, citing alleged illegalities in the recognition process by the international body. It denounced “pressure, threats and coercion” against Basque players who had chosen to play for Spain.

Spain eventually went to the Court of Arbitration for Sports and asked for a ruling on the legality of the changes made in the bylaws of the international federation to allow the Basque team to be recognized. The Spanish federation said it was not allowed to vote in the general assembly in late December. The CAS decision is still pending.

“It’s essential to emphasize that this is not an issue against the Basque Country, but rather a matter of legality,” the Spanish federation said in one of its many statements.

The Spanish federation at one point complained of a lack of government support and was especially upset when the nation’s top sports official, José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, said that pelota vasca shouldn’t be considered a Spanish sport in the sense that it is not played throughout the nation.

The Spanish federation said the sport has an “unquestionable national presence” with more than 10,000 athletes in the country.

Politicians in the Basque Country had deemed the recognition by the international federation as historic. They had been working on making that possible for several years but lacked legal backing within local laws and statutes.

“It was unimaginable not too long ago to see these athletes wearing the Basque Country jersey in an international competition,” said Aitor Esteban, president of the Basque Nationalist Party. “I think it’s an important and exciting step. It’s another step toward national recognition as a country. This international presence gives us visibility.”

The Spanish federation said the Nations League can’t be considered an official competition because the international federation did not meet the requirements needed to be able to host the event on Spanish soil, which included proper approval by Spanish officials.

The Spanish federation said it only participated in the event out of consideration for its athletes who wanted to play and were afraid that the competition could eventually serve as a qualifier for next year’s world championships in Argentina, as indicated by the international body. The Spanish federation insisted it can’t be considered an official competition.

The Basque federation of pelota vasca praised the fact that its national team became a “reality.”

“We were born to grow and promote pelota vasca. It is part of our culture, of our identity and of our people," it said. “We look to the future with hope, the future is ours.”

In addition to Spain and the Basque Country, the other participants in the Nations League were the United States, France, Mexico and the Philippines.

Pelota vasca was an official Olympic sport at the 1900 Paris Games and has been a demonstration sport several times since then, most recently in Barcelona in 1992. Variations of pelota vasca include jai alai, which in the United States is mostly played in Florida. Other countries where the sport is seen include France, Argentina, Mexico and Cuba.

Arai Lejardi, right, and Erika Mugartegui, left, members of the Spanish national team, pose with their team during the Nations League at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

A woman holds a Basque flag or ''Ikurrina'' during the Nations League match between the Euskadi national team and the Spanish national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Elaia Gogenola, a member of the Euskadi national team, competes with her teammate Maia Goikoetxea during the Nations League match between the Spanish national team and the Euskadi national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Arai Lejardi, right, competes next to her teammate Erika Mugartegui, members of the Spanish national team, at the Jai Alai fronton during the Nations League match between the Euskadi national team and the Spanish national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Elaia Gogenola, a member of the Euskadi national team, competes with her teammate Maia Goikoetxea during the Nations League match between the Spanish national team and the Euskadi national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Jai Alai balls are pictured prior to the start of the Nations League match between the Spanish national team and the Euskadi national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Jai alai baskets are pictured ahead of the Nations League match between the Euskadi national team and the Spanish national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Spectators gather during the Nations League between Spanish national team and Euskadi national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

A man receives a Basque flag, or "Ikurrina," ahead of the Nations League match between the Euskadi national team and the Spanish national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Arai Lejardi, left, and Erika Mugartegui, members of the Spanish national team, pose for a photo ahead of the Nations League match between the Euskadi national team and the Spanish national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Elaia Gogenola, left, and Maia Goikoetxea, members of the Euskadi national team, pose for a photo ahead of the Nations League match between the Euskadi national team and the Spanish national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

The Spanish national team and the Euskadi national team play during the Nations League match between the Euskadi national team and the Spanish national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Arai Lejardi, right, member of the Spanish national team competes during the Nations League match between the Spanish national team and the Euskadi national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

People react during the Nations League match between the Spanish national team and the Euskadi national team at the Jai Alai fronton in Guernica-Luno, northern Spain, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge turned to the Bleacher Creatures during their first-inning Roll Call at the New York Yankees' home opener Friday, bent a knee and flexed with both arms in honor of Brett Gardner.

“Still hoping he gets a chance to come back here and share his knowledge with the boys a little bit,” Judge said after his go-ahead, two-run homer in the first inning started the Yankees to an 8-2 win over the Miami Marlins. “He was a big part of this team, his long tenure here as a Yankee, so I always like paying him a little credit. He's tuned into the game and watching.”

Gardner spent his entire big league career with the Yankees from 2008-21, and Judge made his major league debut with New York in 2016. Judge started flexing for Roll Call when playing center field, Gardner's old position. Judge roomed with Gardner in 2017.

“He was a leader. He was a professional. He was a prankster. He was everything that you look for in a guy to lead the team,” Judge said, speaking slowly and choosing his words carefully. “He took me in at a young age when I first got here and he treated me just like everybody else and showed me respect. He taught me a lot of things. It kind of teaches you how to lead a clubhouse. He had a big influence on me not only on the field but inside this clubhouse, just the way he played the game and the way he held everybody to a standard. Very few guys are made like Brett Gardner.”

Gardner has been in the Yankees' thoughts even more since March 2024, when his youngest son died at age 14 during a family vacation in Costa Rica. Authorities determined carbon monoxide poisoning was the cause of death.

Judge, the team captain, wanted the Yankees to arrive in style after opening 5-1 on their West Coast trip.

“That's Cap, again, setting the tone,” said Ben Rice, who homered and drove in three runs. “Sent us a text late last night saying: `Hey, suits tomorrow.' So everybody was fired up and we were happy to continue that momentum out on the field.”

Trent Grisham reached leading off with the first of 11 walks by Marlins pitchers and Judge drove a slider into the left-field seats against Eury Pérez for a 2-1 lead.

Judge, who had three RBIs, hit a record 20 first-inning home runs last year, when he finished with 53. Three of Judge’s five hits this season have been home runs.

Coming off his third AL MVP award and first batting title, Judge is off to a slow start with a .185 average.

He gave his teammates a scare in the second inning when he was hit below the right wrist by a 98.9 mph fastball from Pérez, one pitch after Grisham's bases-loaded walk.

“I’ve broken my wrist like that, so that’s always the main concern,” Judge said.

Judge missed 45 games after he was hit by a pitch from Kansas City’s Jakob Junis on July 26, 2018.

“Felt like he was probably OK but I tend to jump up a little quicker when it’s to him," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.

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New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) hits a two-run home run during the first inning of the Yankees' home-opener baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, April 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) walks back to dugout during the fifth inning of a home-opener baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, April 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) successfully steals second base during the eighth inning of a home-opener baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, April 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees outfielders Cody Bellinger (35), Trent Grisham (12) and Aaron Judge (99) embrace each other after wining a home-opener baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, April 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of the Yankees' home-opener baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, April 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)