The first. Mari Carmen Izquierdo has been the first in so many important things. He has lived intensely. Has been in all the places where flowed the life. It has also been the first one where the journalists of the sport were not foreseen, nor imagined, nor were they welcome. But we just go on days, too quickly.

nearly 50 years Ago, in that unique TVE, and without prior notice, a woman appeared in the Santiago Bernabeu stadium interviewing the then coach of Real Madrid, Miguel Munoz, and their players. “It was a shock, I looked like a parachutist landing in the sports journalism”. From that day he met the whole of Spain.

Barely a year before, he had come to do practices in the Daily ACE, where the only woman of the wording was the telephone operator. The editor-in-chief of the time he said that to work there you had to like "wine and women". Mari Carmen what he liked was football, it was instilled in his father and she thought it was the best possible plan in those Sundays of your Lerma, natal, where the other option was to pray the rosary with her grandmother. Even though he began studying Law, he soon realized that theirs were the news. And taking a trip with his father to Madrid to see a match he enrolled in the school of Journalism.

Rise always to high heels, that has nailed it down with authority in the turf of all fields in the world, followed by opening doors. He felt prepared to go to the Olympic Games of Montreal (1976) but was not included in the list. It happened that the convention of the TVE indicated that in the displacement, the workers should share a room, and as she was the only one among men, you better stay on the ground.

That rule was soon abolished. It was commissioned to The Left. That, and that women journalists could report on a round cyclist. “There is an aunt: get out, get out!”, cried the director of a cycling race from Leganés to see Mari Carmen in a car in the middle of the pack. He argued that the regulations of the International Cycling Union (UCI) only allowed women in the health workforce or the trade caravan. No other, because cyclists “mean, and they say tacos”.

What the revolted and was the reason why they went to the Back Cyclist to Spain, determined to have her kicked out. In fact what I wanted was to shoot that scene, that be recorded. I got it, the report was issued at hours of maximum audience. Cyclists mearán and say tacos, but since then women also report about cycling.

It, the first

The first to have the sports, the first to appear in the mythical Studio Stadium, the first to have responsibilities in the drafting of sports of the TVE. The first president of the Spanish Association of Sports Journalists, a position he held for 20 years. Member of the Spanish Olympic Committee. Silver medal of the Royal Order of Sporting Merit (you will be missing the gold). In the last stage, the director of Plan ADO, the formula must be translated athletes, olympic champions and on which he has put, as always, all of your efforts.

The “paratrooper” that he had dared to break into territory forbidden to a woman won the respect of the world of sport. A scene, that I was able to witness, he explains. In a hotel of Madrid was being held, behind closed doors, the Assembly of the Spanish Football Federation. Outside, watched a few reporters. That was the day that I heard for the first time, ringing his heels. We greeted him and without thinking twice she opened the door and stormed in that room. All the presidents that were there were on foot.

he Opened doors, because I wanted to know what was behind it. Curious and tireless. And so, hostess, generous, opened wide the doors of your house and of your skin. Because he adored the people. Exhibited few weaknesses: by Lola, his mother, castellana strong and detailed; by Sergio and Sara, heirs of his personality overpowering; for Joachim, her husband, scholar and artist, who also was almost without warning; by their friends, a crowd.

it Was cultured, owner of a Spanish spotless, a sense of humor that is addictive, and a mockery that the were configured as an inventor of phrases that esculpía as sayings. Traveling without laziness, he went always to the dating endless of the sport, even one in which there were to leave it running because a few miles just blow up the nuclear reactor of Chernobyl.

Flirty, without a break (“I was Born in the year that Zarra scored the goal of Maracanã”), fulfilled all his dreams. The latter, graduating with a degree in abuelidad and get to know her granddaughter, Ariadne.

Mari Carmen, energetic and most tender lady, was accustomed to make decisions. And has done so until the last moment, when you leave lightweight, discreetly. As a breath, she, that was gale.

you Can follow Sports of THE COUNTRY on Facebook, Twitter or subscribe here to the Newsletter.