Spain's Basque football federations on Wednesday, the territorial categories of Vizcaína, Guipuzcoana and Alavesa, are suspending competition this weekend, according to the EFE. The Asturian federation already suspended play last weekend. The Federación Vizcaína said that the reasons for the strike "come from new legislation promoted by the country's Ministry of Employment." For these federations, this new legislation "requires labor contracts and payments to all people related to club activities, including supervisors, coaches and players." As they "believe that if this new legislation goes forward, many clubs will see themselves close to disappearing, the federations are requesting to develop their own regulations" (EFE, 2/11). In Madrid, Alberto Martínez reported after the decision made by the Asturian federation last week, "it is expected that six other autonomous communities will be without football this weekend." The organizations following the Asturian federation are those in Cataluña, Cantabria, La Rioja, Castilla and León, Ceuta and Melilla. There "will be no football in the third division and lower divisions on Saturday or Sunday in these communities" (AS, 2/10).
