President of the Spanish Olympic Committee since 2005, Alejandro Blanco has no intention of giving up his seat. The 74-year-old leader has confirmed that he is running for a sixth term at the head of the COE, which would extend his reign until 2029. He expressed in a statement his "firm will to continue adapting the Spanish sports model to the reality of the country". The national press does not expect any adversity to face it during the election scheduled for May. In 2021, he was re-elected unopposed with 156 votes in favor and 7 blank votes. A former president of the Spanish Judo Federation, Blanco led three campaigns to win the Olympic and Paralympic Games during his mandates, without success (2016, 2020, 2030). He was notably praised for his role in building the refugee Olympic team and for his sustainability policy at the head of the COE.
