The mud of the dispute that the president of Aragon, Javier Lambán, maintains with that of the Spanish Olympic Committee (COE), Alejandro Blanco, threatens to splash and affect Pedro Sánchez. Or this is the opinion of the Aragonese Government, which among all the criticisms it dedicates to the sports entity finds time to alert and warn the head of the Spanish Executive of political consequences if the COE finally chooses a hypothetical Catalan candidacy alone for the Winter Games of the 2030.
It was done by the Aragonese Minister of Education, Culture and Sport, Felipe Faci, at the end of an interview this Friday on Catalunya Ràdio. What would happen if Catalonia's own candidacy ends up going ahead? "I hope that this situation does not occur, because it would be a very complicated situation politically, not for the Government of Aragon, but for those who act outside the commitment, that is, for the COE and also for the Government of Spain," Faci has assured. Some words that in the Spanish Olympic Committee believe that, more than a warning, "it is a threat".
The candidacy of the JJ.OO. It's blocked. Faci's declaration is long-term and has a horizon, that of the next general elections, probably at the end of 2023. The Aragonese Executive is convinced that leaving a candidacy in the hands of a pro-independence government such as the one formed by ERC and Junts can imply a great wear and tear for the Spanish president. A circumstance that, in his opinion, a good part of Spanish society would not understand and that his political rivals, especially PP and Vox, would take advantage of to attack him from now until election day.
Lambán is aware of all this. His enmity with Sánchez is manifest. Not surprisingly, for example, in October 2016 he harshly attacked him when he was kicked out of the general secretariat of the PSOE in October 2016. He invited him to "retire with dignity."
The Aragonese president acknowledged on Thursday in the Parliament of his autonomous community that, despite having "a relationship of absolute loyalty" with Sánchez, "he has publicly discussed many decisions of the Government of Spain." “I have pointed them out and I have always criticized them and I will continue to do so because for me Aragón is well above the PSOE and the Spanish Government on duty”.
And it is that it hurts Lambán that Sánchez has not yet answered the letter he sent him on May 25 to "put order" and receive him. "With Mr. Sánchez I have not talked about this matter and I am sorry," said Lambán. At the moment, the President of the Spanish Government is leaving. In fact, he has given Blanco full powers to configure the candidacy that he considers.
In any case, Lambán is clear about it: “Neither Moncloa nor anyone will impose on this Government that I have the honor of presiding over its will, nor will it impose anything that goes against the interests of Aragon. I insist, neither Moncloa nor anyone”, he stressed on Thursday.
But everything can end in capital controversy. This Friday, the president of the COE has once again recalled that the members of the Aragonese technical commission voted in favor of the distribution of sports disciplines agreed on March 24. And to highlight it, they have insisted that they have recorded the video sessions that would confirm it. What's more, he will make one last attempt to make a joint candidacy bear fruit, but he has not ruled out making the videos public so that “everyone can know the truth”.
Meanwhile, the Generalitat remains on the lookout, but is seriously considering having other countries in case it had to present its own candidacy. As she did in Parliament on May 5, Laura Vilagrà, Minister of the Presidency, stated on TV3 that they could seek the support of France or Italy to host tests, in addition to Sarajevo. In any case, the negotiation depends more on the different Olympic committees, and not so much on public administrations.
