fit experience fest far right tenerife controversy

Far-right fitness festival sparks outrage in Tenerife

Petition launched over sponsorship of fitness festival with far-right links

On Saturday 9 May, the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Maritime Park is set to become the epicentre of a major row as the Fit Experience Fest returns for the third consecutive year. The festival, organised by supplement brand Lifepro Nutrition, has the backing of the Canary Islands Government, Tenerife Cabildo, and Santa Cruz town hall. However, its principal ambassador and commercial director is Daniel Esteve, the leader of the controversial eviction firm Desokupa.

‘A showcase for violent far-right propaganda’

The Sindicato de Inquilinas de Tenerife (Tenants’ Union of Tenerife) has launched a petition on the Resist.es platform, urging the authorities to withdraw all support for the event. “Beneath the guise of a family-friendly, inclusive event, this festival is nothing more than a showcase for companies that form the financial backbone of the most violent far-right groups,” they argue.

The festival is run by Alejandro Monedero, whose social media encourages sign-ups for the “Club Desokupa” led by Daniel Esteve. Monedero’s company also sponsors Esteve’s website. Among the instructors listed is Daniel Toledo, alias “Jacare”, a known neo-Nazi and former mixed martial arts fighter who has appeared at previous editions of Fit Experience Fest.

Institutions accused of ‘collaboration’

The tenants’ union said: “While thousands of families in our islands live under the constant threat of eviction and housing precariousness, the Tenerife Cabildo, the Canary Islands Government, and Santa Cruz Town Hall have decided where to put their priorities: institutionally whitewashing those who make a living from intimidation, once again. At this stage, we cannot call it carelessness; we must call it collaborationism.”

The union added: “It is an insult to the working class that Tenerife’s institutions are whitewashing the business of those who want to throw us out of our homes with violence.”

Government defends £12,900 sponsorship deal

The Canary Islands Government’s Deputy Ministry for Sport confirmed to this newspaper that it is collaborating with the event via a sports sponsorship contract worth €14,900 (around £12,900). A spokesperson explained that such contracts are not paid automatically; the organising body must submit a return on investment (ROI) report justifying the impact and exposure gained for the Government’s image and for the Expodeca physical activity and sport fair. The Ministry said it had supported the festival in the same way as other public bodies because “it meets the requirements and objectives we promote, such as physical activity among young people.” They declined to comment on the petition.

The Cabildo of Tenerife chose not to respond to this newspaper’s questions, while Santa Cruz Town Hall simply referred enquiries to the organisers’ statement.

Organisers insist event is ‘strictly sporting’

In a statement, organiser Lifepro Nutrition claims the event is “strictly sporting and has no political ideology,” adding that Daniel Esteve and Desokupa’s involvement was limited to the 2024 edition and that any link to the event’s management or organisation is “emphatically false.” However, the statement is currently unavailable on the festival’s website or social media channels. Nor does it mention that Lifepro Nutrition continues to sponsor Daniel Esteve’s Desokupa website. The festival organisers also failed to respond to our questions.

Previous editions saw €50,000 sponsorships

According to 2024 festival information, “Gold” sponsors in previous editions contributed sums of €50,000. The Tenants’ Union criticises this as part of a concerning pattern: “It is becoming a tradition for Canarian institutions to promote and contract far-right groups and individuals, whether through contracts awarded to EdaTV, as reported by this newspaper, or by funding far-right influencers to give training sessions in schools or to promote the Canary Islands at FITUR for years.”

Beyond sponsorships ranging from €2,500 to €50,000 in earlier years, the one-day event itself is a lucrative business. Each entry costs €12, and with a capacity of 5,000 people, that could bring in around €60,000 from tickets alone.

Festival website shows drinking and partying, not sport

Sponsorships should, in theory, promote sport. Yet the festival’s own website features “best moments” from previous years where young people are seen partying and, occasionally, doing sport. Among images of girls dancing and muscular men, there are clips of young people drinking and smoking, despite the event purporting to be a sports festival.

Desokupa members linked to serious crimes

In the Canary Islands, members of Desokupa-affiliated organisations have been reported for coercion, threats, intimidation, attempted homicide, and even murder. Last year, members of “Desokupa Ahora” turned up at a police station in Santa Cruz de Tenerife with a corpse. Recently, the courts confirmed 11-year prison sentences for two eviction enforcers for attempted murder. Daniel Esteve has distanced himself from any connection to this Canarian offshoot.

Petition demands transparency and a ban on human rights violators

The petition, addressed to the Cabildo of Tenerife, demands the immediate withdrawal of public sponsorship for the festival, full transparency over the amount of public money spent (which remains unknown), and an ethical commitment to bar entities that violate human rights. The platform says that once 10,000 signatures are gathered, the letter will be sent to the institutions. Over the first day, more than 300 signatures were collected.

The Tenants’ Union closes its letter with a stark message: “Public institutions must ensure that the use of collective resources is aligned with the defence of fundamental rights, including the right to housing.”

Source

Scroll to Top