Almost the entire San Mamés stadium stood up this Saturday to honor Martín Zabaleta, the first Spaniard to climb Everest in 1980. A feat of which he took advantage of placing an ikurriña with the ETA symbol at the top of the mountain . Gesture of apology towards the terrorist group and on which he has never retracted. “There will be no whistle,” commented a supporter at the stadium gates. There was none, in fact its kick-off by Sherpa Pasang Temba was accompanied by thunderous applause from the stands.
It is true that on the details, opinions are divided. Some people present today in San Mamés told ABC that they did not know the figure planned for the tribute. Others were unhappy. Some also argue that criticism is decontextualized and that it “belongs to the past.”
Zabaleta, with the Sherpa Pasang Temba and the expedition of Gipuzkoans, Biscayans and Navarrese who accompanied him, climbed Everest on May 14, 1980. A year marked in red, which recorded 91 murders, being the greatest in the history of the violence of the terrorist gang. Just one day after the incident, ETA shot dead three national police officers. On those same dates, specifically May 16, he shot and killed Gipuzkoan businessman Ceferino Peña Zubía and two members of the Navarre Civil Guard, Francisco Puig Mestre and Francisco Ramón Ruiz Fernández.
The protagonists of the tribute in the Cathedral communicated yesterday, causing a great stir on social networks and provoking the rejection of representatives of victims of terrorism like Consuelo Ordoñez and groups like Ego Non, dedicated to denouncing the exaltation of ETA. The decision was made after a meeting on Monday this week, as confirmed by Athletic Club sources. They maintain that the act only indicates the sporting feat and that it was proposed after learning of the Sherpa’s trip to Spain, on the occasion of the celebration of the centenary of the Basque-Navarre Mountaineering Federation.
The club’s supporters, however, point out that it could be a “payoff” for the Aberzale side of the club, following Spain’s European Cup victory this summer. The national team, led by Luis de la Fuente, who played for Athletic Club, had club players such as Nico Williams and Unai Simón, making a great showing.
