Gallastegi - referee of rebel family
In April this year Igotz Gallastegi refereed his first Test – Austria vs Norway in Vienna. This week he will hop into the Pyrenees and referee his second – Andorra against Lithuania. It is a long way from the sophisticated professionals in big stadiums, but he rejoices in what he does.
Igotz comes from a family of rebellious Basques with strong Irish connections and a family love of rugby.
The Basques of Spain would like to be the Basques of Euskadi . They would like to be their own country, and have had people vigorous in attempting to get their own country for the 600 000 or so Basques. They are a unique people – their language and customs related to no other people and they would like to be themselves.
In the 1930s when Spain destroyed the monarchy, they threw in their lot with the republicans in the hope of being rewarded with independence. But when the Spanish Civil War broke out, they were destroyed by the nationalist forces and Gernika became a symbol of Franco’s ruthlessness.
Igotz’s grandfather Eli, the most articulate Basque of his time, had been doing business across the Bay of Biscay with Ireland whose resistance to British rule he admired. He fled to Ireland in 1937. An so the rebellious Basques and the rebellious Irish teamed up. They also teamed up on the rugby field. Eli’s son went to famous Blackrock College and then to University College Dublin – and played rugby for them during his 20-year stay in Ireland.
Igotz – Igotz Gallastegi Sodupe – was born in Bilbao, his grandfather’s base, on 18 June 1970, a Basque whose first language was Basque. His schooling was through the medium of Basque but there was also rugby for the seven children of the family. Like their father, all the male members played rugby, all in the backs.
At school Igotz played for the Basque club Getxo. Off Igotz went to the University of Zaragoza, and there he played rugby. As the family tradition required he then went off to Ireland and played for Young Munster in Limerick. So it was that Basque Igotz speaks Spanish and English.
How good was he? He says that he was the worst player in his family, but at an early age he started refereeing. “I started at the age of 19 or 20 when I was at university in Zaragoza (Spain). I used to play, coach and referee. I did not referee very seriously, just Under-15. I started refereeing just to give a hand to the local rugby.”
But in the process Igotz qualified as a veterinarian ending with a master’s degree in aquaculture from the University College Cork.
Being serious he joined the Euskadiko Rugby Epaileen Komitea – that is the Basque for the Basque Rugby Referees’ Association.
Refereeing career: “I didn’t referee seriously until late. I’ve moved about a lot, and had many things in my head (and hands) . When I settled down, I started my ‘serious’ refereeing career.”
Settling down is in the town of Mutriku (pop. 4736) in the Basque country, west of San Sebastian on the Bay of Arbe, a beautiful part of the world where he works in an aquaculture institute. There he and Eli are the parents to two small (three and one) children.
Refereeing achievements? “I’ve done one Under-18 European championship, one Under-19 European trophy, two FIRA-AER Sevens tournaments, one IRB University Sevens World Cup, and one test match (Austria vs Norway). “
Help along the way? “I feel myself a very lucky ref. During the last ten years in our association a lot of very hard work has been done to improve the refereeing level. Many former international (and not international) referees have involved and they care for us. We have assessors, coaches, good conditions. Even more, at the moment I’ve got a RFU coach (Steve Womersley) and it is a luxury.
“Many times I think in what conditions referees in our society did their work twenty years ago. The change is admirable. Sometimes I feel we are pampered.”
Referees you admire? “I admire many colleagues (not necessary well known referees). Among the internationals, I like Steve Walsh and Chris White.”
Ambitions? “I’m not very ambitious. My ambition is that we – the players and I – enjoy the next match and that I become a better ref, which is not a mere trifle.”
What do you like about refereeing? “The atmosphere of rugby and the relationship with some props.”
