Following a shaky start, when they were defeated in their first match of the tournament, the Spanish basketball team were yesterday crowned the champions of Europe for the first time (article in Castilian, La Vanguardia). The final of the event, which was staged in Poland, was played yesterday against Serbia (the team who beat them in the first match), who the Spaniards vanquished 85-63. The team features several Catalan stars, including Pau Gasol who plays in the US NBA league and was chosen as the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, and Ricky Rubio, a recent signing of FC Barcelona’s basketball team. Spain now hold the world and European titles.

Members of the amateur football team Bada Bing who are accused of racism against the players of an opposing team are due to appear in court today (article in Catalan, Avui). Seven players from Bada Bing FC could face up to six years in prison if they are found guilty of racist insults against five members of the team Rosario Central de Catalunya, as well as spitting, harassment and assault, during a match in January; the team’s secretary was reportedly also attacked when he tried to take photographs of the Bada Bing players carrying out the abuse. The Rosario Central team is mainly made up of South American players. As well as a prison sentence, if found guilty the accused could have to pay compensation to the victims and the owner of the football pitch where the incidents occurred.

Trade unions are gearing up for a “turbulent autumn” as they try to achieve pay rises for members of up to three percent (article in Castilian, La Vanguardia). The two main Spanish unions, CCOO and UGT, are preparing for a wave of confrontations with company bosses in their attempts to boost pay packets. Their move directly contrasts with the recommendation of the Confederación Española de Organizaciones Empresariales (CEOE) to their members to freeze employees’ salaries. The secretary general of CCOO, Ignacio Fernández Toxo, has publicly warned the president of CEOE, Gerardo Díaz Ferrán, that if businesses don’t allow for collective negotiations, the coming months will be “difficult and complicated”.

Also in the news: France investigates the hunting of bears in the Pyrenees (Avui); Mercè week starts with record-breaking numbers taking part in city run (El Periodico); Bicing expands to other Catalan towns (El Periodico)