The 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games as a Nation Building Activity for the Region of Catalonia
In the months prior to the commencement of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, the international community questioned what role Catalan nationalism would play in the upcoming games. In Catalonia itself, however, activists clearly outlined their plans: present Catalonia as autonomous and thriving while also displaying its complex and beautiful culture. In other words, they sought to use the Olympic Games as a vehicle to convey Catalan culture to the rest of the international sporting community.
Since its consolidation in 1512, Spain has traditionally operated as one central government with seventeen autonomous regions within its borders. Spain successfully functioned under these conditions for hundreds of years, but during the Spanish Civil War in 1939, a man named Francisco Franco seized power. Franco drastically changed the political landscape of Spain, overthrowing the democratically elected government and establishing a fascist regime. At the same time, Franco also liquidated the autonomous states throughout Spain, instead choosing to “unite” Spain under one flag and one culture. Franco then outlawed the presentation of the Catalonian flag, the singing or playing of the national anthem, the Catalonian language, and even the “Sardana,” Catalonia’s national dance of greeting. For over thirty years, Catalonia endured this national repression until Franco’s death in 1975, after which democracy was promptly restored. These long years of oppression and restraint left Catalans yearning for an opportunity to define their region as an autonomous, culturally diverse, thriving nation. This opportunity presented itself a short seventeen years after Franco’s death in the form of the Olympics, an event renowned for its ability to promote a nation’s sense of nationalism.
Catalonia’s regional autonomy was highlighted by government officials in preparation for the Barcelona Olympics. Leading up to the games, the Catalan government took out a newspaper advertisement in leading international newspapers, including the New York Times, “to assert that Barcelona is in the ‘country’ of Catalonia.” The president of Catalonia, Jordi Pujol, made his thinking on the 1992 Games’ significance for Catalonia noting that “the important thing is not sport but the country.”
The higher echelons of the Catalonian government were not the only Catalan natives wishing to flaunt their national pride. Two weeks prior to the Olympic opening ceremony, demonstrators “wrapped a giant Catalonian flag around the so-called Olympic Ring, which includes Montjuic Stadium and several other venues for the Games atop a mountain that overlooks the city and the Mediterranean Sea.” Jordi Pujol insisted, however, that these displays were not about “seeking secession.” “It’s just that Catalonia has its own history, institutions and identity, and it wants these recognized within the Spanish state.” Elaborating further, Pujol explained that although “strictly speaking, these are Barcelona’s games,” nevertheless “spiritually . . . and politically and sentimentally too, these are also very much Catalonia’s games.” and Lluis Vilaseca, Minister of Sports in Catalonia’s “Generalitat de Catalunya” also attempted to explain the average Catalan’s sense of national identity when he said, “We have a very strong sense of self. I am a Catalan first, and, in the context of Spain, a Spaniard second.” Ultimately, the stage for a display of national pride that had been repressed for so long was set and primed to burst with head government officials Juan Antonio Samranch and Jordi Pujol at the helm.
Catalan nationalism did not stop at these symbolic displays of national pride. The unofficially recognized Catalonian Olympic Committee made an official request to the International Olympic Committee, run by Juan Antonio Samaranch (who was of Catalonian descent himself) to include Catalan as an official fourth language along with English, French, and Spanish for the Games. The language was not only of great cultural significance to the Catalan people, but also “most public instruction is in Catalan, which is also the language of government.” Somewhat surprisingly, Catalonia’s request to include its own language was greeted with relatively open arms and was soon permitted to be an official Olympic language for the 1992 Games. The requests only multiplied from that point on. The Catalonian Olympic Committee, “citing the example of Puerto Rico, which competes under its own flag in international sports events” requested “that its athletes be allowed to march separately from the Spanish team” during the opening ceremony and parade of nations. Unsurprisingly, this request was denied. Compromise was made on other fronts regarding the Catalonian national anthem and flag. Through negotiations between the King of Spain and the Catalonian Olympic Committee, it was agreed that during the Games’ Opening Ceremony, upon the King’s arrival, the Catalonian national anthem would be played followed by the Spanish national anthem. It was also agreed upon that at all official Olympic venues and activities, the Catalonian flag would be displayed along with the Spanish flag. Overall the 1992 Barcelona Olympics became an incredibly well timed event for the region of Catalonia to release it’s nationalist frustrations while simultaneously promoting it’s own people and culture as well.
-Cameron Bell
Sources
2. http://articles.latimes.com/1992-07-25/sports/sp-3968_1_opening-ceremony
3. http://articles.latimes.com/1992-07-14/news/wr-4014_1_spanish-region
4. http://ceo.uab.cat/2010/docs/wp013_eng.pdf
5. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1992-07-21/sports/9203050585_1_catalan-barcelona-olympic-torch1
Barcelona '92 