Sports partnership with Spain up

FILIPINO athletes and coaches are set to find out the secret behind Spain’s world-acclaimed success in football and tennis.

The Department of Foreign Affairs yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding with its Spanish counterpart that will clear the way for the country’s top booters and netters to train in Spain, the reigning Fifa World Cup champion and home of tennis superstar Rafael Nadal.

Philippine Sports Commission chair Richie Garcia said football and tennis would benefit from the partnership with Spain, the reigning Fifa World Cup champion and home of tennis superstar Rafael Nadal.

“This will be a very nice cooperation with Spain. They have a great tennis program there and we can set up home-and-away games with the top football clubs there like Real Madrid for the Azkals,” said Garcia.

Garcia said the government is also in the process of striking similar sporting deals with five more countries—Iran, Iraq, Cuba, England and Korea that is expected to be approved before the year ends.

The Philippines has existing sports agreements with China, Russia, Brunei, Indonesia, Australia and Thailand, among others.