Gibraltar prevented from flying flag at Spanish ECL event

JAMES COYNE: Lathbury Lightning, Gibraltar's representatives at the 2023 European Cricket League, have been told they are not permitted to fly the flag of the British Overseas Territory, on the orders of the Spanish ministry of sports

The Gibraltar team has been prevented by the Spanish government from flying their territory's flag at the European Cricket League.

The 2023 ECL is currently taking place at the Cartama Oval near Malaga, Spain, involving recreational clubs from across Europe.

Lathbury Lightning are the representatives from Gibraltar, but they have been told they are not permitted to fly the flag of the British Overseas Territory, on the orders of the Spanish ministry of sports.

The flag ban extends to the TV coverage: unlike all the other clubs involved, whose national flags appear on the TV graphics, the Gibraltar flag does not appear next to Lathbury's name in broadcasts. The Gibraltar flag does appear on the tournament's official website.

Talks are ongoing to resolve the dispute between the two governments, tournament organisers the European Cricket Network and the Gibraltar Cricket Board.

The GCB said in a statement: "The Gibraltar Cricket Board has noted the disappointing decision from the ministry of sport in Spain to prohibit Lathbury Lighting from displaying the Gibraltar flag while they are currently playing in the European Cricket League Group C, hosted by the European Cricket Network in Cartama, Spain.

"Talks are ongoing between parties and no further comment will be made at this stage."

^{Lathbury Lightning in action at the 2023 ECL on Tuesday (Image: @EuropeanCricket)}

ECN T10 tournaments routinely take place in Spain, which provides the ideal climate for cricket almost all year round.

Gibraltar, despite Anglo-Spanish tensions over the territory, have played on Spanish soil before, contesting their maiden T20 internationals in Spain in 2019/20.

But this is not the first cricketing flashpoint between Gibraltar and Spain. Gibraltar has been an ICC member since 1969. When Spain successfully applied to join the ICC in 1992, at a meeting held by ICC chairman Colin Cowdrey, Gibraltar’s vote was a bone of contention.

Spain disputes British sovereignty over the 2.6 square mile territory on the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, which has a population of 34,000. Anglo-Dutch forces captured Gibraltar in 1704, during the War of the Spanish Succession. Spain formally ceded the territory in 1713 under the Treaty of Utrecht, but reclamation of the territory became government policy under the Franco dictatorship.

The Cricketer has approached the European Cricket Network for comment.

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