Patricia Beach, spokesperson for the Generalitat of Catalonia, refrained from judging the Aragon government’s “what happened” and its “one-sided proposals.” He briefed on the Winter Olympics and urged the COE to clarify, as soon as possible, how the nomination would finally unfold. While these statements were made, another round of talks between the COE and the Spanish, Aragon, and Catalan governments was taking place without a clear outcome.
During the telematics meeting, which lasted about an hour, COE chief Alejandro Blanco, the presidency secretary Laura Vilagrà, the Secretary General for Culture, Victor Franks, and the Minister of Education, Culture and Sports, Philip Faci, discussed the distribution plan in installments. They stressed that alpine skiing tests remained essential for Aragon.
Sources from the Generalitat explained that Vilagrà recalled the initial agreement reached nearly a year ago, which designated alpine skiing to be held in Catalonia. The consellera dismissed the theory that the candidacy was split by party lines or gender. The same sources, who stated “Enough is enough,” noted that Aragon had abandoned the agreed technical arrangement (54 tests on Aragon soil and 24 tests in Catalonia) and that new offers were being submitted every day. “Three weeks ago the three valleys were considered crucial; now the package includes alpine skiing and a new sport that could be Olympic, without clear identification. It feels like starting from zero.”
In light of the stalled progress on the joint bid, the Generalitat indicated a willingness to proceed to a vote, if necessary. Alexander White observed last week that the COE assembly had to decide the split in several corridors: Granada versus Jaca, Madrid versus Seville, and Catalonia versus Aragon.
white defends himself
“If there is no agreement, insurmountable differences remain and a compromise is unattainable because, frankly, the candidacy cannot be presented as proposed,” Blanco stated on TV3 prior to the meeting. “We must move quickly because we are already late, and more importantly, there has been little progress.”
The COE chief, who was set to appear on Monday, has faced criticism from Aragon in recent weeks, where he is branded as a Catalan political appointee. He has advocated for an impartial and independent administration. In the face of harsh rhetoric, the former judoka argued that highlighting the lack of consensus to confront the independence movement was a misstep that could have consequences because the situation cannot continue as it is, characterizing the moment as one driven by political expediency and partisan pressure.
Sources emphasize that the ongoing discourse underscores the complexity of aligning regional preferences with national Olympic objectives. The core issue remains how to balance venue allocation, event types, and the broader political context while maintaining a credible path toward a bid that satisfies both Catalan and Aragon authorities, as well as national sports bodies. The outcome will likely hinge on the ability to finalize a cohesive, technically sound plan that reflects the preferences of the involved regional governments and the expectations of the national committee, all while addressing concerns about fairness and transparency in the process. Cited by official statements and regional briefings, the discussions are continuing as stakeholders assess options and potential compromises that could avert a broader political confrontation.