Ángel de la Riva Gómez will continue at the head of the Royal Andalusian Golf Federation as the motion of censure proposed by the former president of the Cadiz golf club La Cañada and former vice-president of the RFGA Board of Directors, Ángel Gutiérrez, did not succeed on Friday.
The assembly members arrived early in the afternoon at the headquarters of the Royal Andalusian Golf Federation where the extraordinary session was held in which Ángel Gutiérrez presented the reasons for the motion and Ángel de la Riva, in his turn to speak, answered each of these points.
After both presentations, the members of the Assembly exercised their right to vote individually and secretly before the Electoral Table, presided by Casilda Castillejo, chosen by the Electoral Commission to perform this function as a federate of recognized impartiality and independence. Together with her, Antonio Vergara and Carlos Pitarch, as representatives of the Board of Directors, and Vicente Moro and Antonio Pina -representing the Benahavís Golf Club- , on behalf of the promoters of the motion of censure, completed the Table.
During his speech, Ángel de la Riva responded to each of the eight points that Ángel Gutiérrez had previously stated as reasons for presenting the motion of censure.
Thus, De la Riva referred to the reason for the resignation of Ángel Gutiérrez as vice president of the current Board of Directors of the RFGA, after de la Riva did not agree to sign an agreement regarding the Specialized Golf Technification Center of La Cañada, in which the then president of the Cadiz club proposed that the Royal Andalusian Golf Federation, having a representative among the four members that would form the Board of Directors of the CETD, would bear all the expenses of the center, including maintenance, operation and personnel.
“I want you to understand that it would have been easier for me to sign this agreement and thus ensure the support of Mr. Ángel Gutiérrez and his entourage. But my sense of responsibility and my love for this Federation and all the Andalusian federates obliged me not to accept this blackmail.“Ángel de la Riva declared to the assembly members.
Likewise, he stated that neither he nor his Board of Directors have ever refused to implement the rules of transparency in the Royal Andalusian Golf Federation, recalling that, in fact, in the General Assembly of May 24 – and as recorded in the minutes – it was explained that measures would be taken for the implementation of the Rules of Transparency and Good Governance in force of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation, something that is already being worked on.
To conclude -and after having responded to the rest of the points- the President of the Royal Andalusian Golf Federation added: “I cannot understand that in the sport of Golf -traditionally baptized as “gentlemen’s” – a conflict is permanently maintained that harms us all, is a harmful example for young people and, in a sterile way, harms the sport itself“.
The Royal Andalusian Golf Federation is the first in Spain in number of courses -with approximately 100 and another 30 clubs without courses- and the second in number of members, with 43,000 licenses. Its General Assembly is made up of 60 members, representing athletes, clubs, referees and professionals.
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