A VISIT TO THE URUGUAYANS
— Gaston Bénac | 01/06/1924 —

I am naturally curious. I wanted to see up close these strange Uruguayans, these ball jugglers, who can only be seen, from the top of the Colombes press gallery, as tiny, alert, brown-skinned, lively, dexterous, but as small as puppets.

After numerous searches in Colombes and Bois-Colombes I managed to find Uruguayan athletes around Argenteuil.

After entering a sort of dead end which leads to an old eighteenth century castle, dilapidated, eaten away by humidity, all lined with moss, I fall into a nest of greenery which smells of the real countryside. A splendid park completely surrounded by century-old trees, and, in the middle, a very green lawn, on which dark-haired men are sunbathing. Others, grouped together, gesticulate and speak of abundance while unfolding congratulatory dispatches. Surprised to be caught in their retreat, the Uruguayans ask questions. I hazard a guess:

— The French sportsmen, dazzled by your success, congratulate you, but want to know.

Reassured, they introduced me to the president of the delegation, Mr. Casto Martínez Laguarda, deputy in the Parliament of Uruguay, member of the Physical Education Committee, Mr. Asdrichal Casas, delegate of the Federation, law student in Montevideo. And Mr. Leónidas Chiappara, who is both a reserve goalkeeper and editor at "Matin" in Montevideo and who speaks French very well, provides me with all kinds of information on the team and on sport in Uruguay, accompanying his demonstrations with photographic views and testimonies.

— So you are favorites for the tournament?

Chiappara: Oh! it's going very quickly. And then being a favorite is hardly successful at the moment.

Mr. Chiappara explains that the Uruguayan team had not trained before his departure, as football does not start until April, but the matches they played in Spain were very beneficial.

— Against the Yugoslavs and against the Americans, did your team give the impression of fiddling and not shooting often enough?

Chiappara: Yes, undoubtedly, when the opposing team is not very formidable, our players have fun. They love football and it is a joy for them to feint and deceive the opponent. Make it clear, our players are above all, artists. Besides, in our country, sport and art go hand in hand. All gestures in all sports must be above all aesthetic, and music and dance accompany each of our sporting events. You see, we remain in the ancient tradition.

— Are the majority of your players of Spanish origin?

Chiappara: Big mistake. The vast majority are, on the contrary, Italian: Petrone, Scarone, Romano, Cea, Mazali, in particular; there are a few Spaniards, Naya, Zingone, Urdinarán, Uriarte, a Brazilian, Andrade, and five descendants of French, Casella, Vidal, Etchegoyen, Salombide and Arispe. The first comes from a Marseille family, the last three are grandsons of people originally from the Basque Country. But all were born in Uruguay; not a single one speaks French.

— What social environment do you recruit from?

Chiappara: First of all, all the players live in Montevideo and almost all of them are employees. There are a few civil servants, two merchants — Etchegoyen and Salombide — bank employees, refrigeration employees, three brewers — Uriarte, Cea, Zingone — a glazier, Urdinarán, an attaché at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and a piano tuner, Andrade.

— Is sport encouraged in your country?

Chiappara: Yes, but we came at the expense of our Federation. However, we were telegraphed yesterday that our government wanted to help us.

The Uruguayan leaders talk to me about the sports organization of their country, which could serve as a model for many nations, and they show me the French flag next to their sky blue and white flag:

Chiappara: We love France very much and we want people to remember that during the Great War we broke off all relations with Germany. Finally, in the sporting field, we wanted to make an effort so that we were no longer ignored.