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Sheffield sports teams defend Saloufest

By Rosie Taylor
Published: 29/04/2010

Sheffield students have defended sports festival Saloufest despite international media coverage portraying it as a centre for debauchery.

The five-day event, which was attended by the University’s hockey, rugby and netball teams during the Easter vacation, was featured on British, Spanish and international news after students from 100 UK universities were pictured drinking to excess and exposing body parts in the Spanish resort of Salou.

But Sheffield students have been quick to defend the festival, run by ilovetour, claiming that the media has exaggerated the seriousness of the behaviour in Salou.

Netball club captain, Elizabeth Greaves, said: “Personally I feel that the media has overhyped the whole thing completely.

“They went looking for a story about rowdy students abroad and in the end had to try and big up the whole occasion because they didn’t get the images they were looking for.

“If you actually look at the footage you won’t see any violence, vandalism, aggression or hostility towards locals, it’s simply some students having a few drinks and some friendly banter with other universities.”

Her teammate, who wished to remain anonymous, agrees.
“It’s only some people who cause havoc,” she said.
“In reality it’s really good for team bonding.”

Will Ville, a member of Sheffield’s rugby team, said: “Tour was absolutely amazing and I would say the best thing about it was that everyone became a lot closer.

“There was a great sense of spirit and it helped all the freshers to become better friends with the older lads which normally wouldn’t necessarily happen back in Sheffield.”

Salou’s Mayor, Pere Granados, has also backed Saloufest, stating that the students were better behaved than the average summer visitor.

He told the Diari de Tarragona newspaper: “Over the time that the 8,400 British university students spent in Salou, neither the night-time incidents requiring police intervention, nor the number of patients needing treatment in the emergency room were anywhere near the figures normally seen in the month of August.”

It is believed 60 British tourists were treated for alcohol poisoning during the festival.

Residents spoke to British and Spanish press during this year’s Saloufest.

Spokesman for a local residents’ association, Maria Gomez, said: “This morning the streets were full of vomit.

“This kind of drunken tourism is deplorable.”
Dolores Vidaal, 64, said: “The British students are animals. Spanish students don’t behave like this. I really hope they ban the festival so I can get some sleep.”

While resident Aurelio Langa said: “Who thinks it’s OK for 5,000 kids to be running about in their underwear, shouting in the street at 1am?”

ilovetour’s managing director, Sam Seward, hit back at reports that locals were unhappy the festival was taking place.

“Our sports festivals operate in a traditionally quiet period in Salou and local businesses have always been happy to receive our guests, while local residents have had little cause to complain as our students are accommodated in an area with very little residential property,” he said.

He was supported by Jose Otero, chairman of Salou’s Association of Bars and Restaurants.

He said: “We should be grateful the students come here. Without them, we’d have no food on the table this year.”

Jaume Orteu, manager of the Playa Park Hotel in the resort, also backed the festival.

“The students bring a lot of colour to our town as well as valuable business for our hotels, restaurants and evening venues,” he said.
“Of course it is drunken tourism, but they are good clients.”

This week, Seward, confirmed that Saloufest would take place again next year, despite speculation that the festival would be cancelled.
Seward said: “With the resort’s support we are very pleased to confirm that, despite reports to the contrary, Saloufest will return in 2011.”

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