It won’t be a woman. And she is also not a person with extensive experience in sports management. José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes is the one chosen by the Government of Pedro Sánchez to take over the presidency of Higher Sports Council. An appointment that will be made official in the Council of Ministers this Tuesday, as Iusport has advanced and sources from the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports that he directs have confirmed to El Periódico de España, from the Prensa Ibérica group. Pilar Alegría.

Rodríguez Uribes was appointed Spanish ambassador to UNESCO, a position he abandoned a few days ago after Michael Iceta left the Government and Sánchez assigned him that new responsibility. The Valencian leader returns to a position that he knows to a certain extent, since he was Minister of Culture and Sports between January 2020 and July 2021, when it was, precisely, replaced by Iceta. His appointment is striking because he returns to that same ministry, but he does so with a lower rank, secretary of state. A rarity in politics.

Minister of Culture and Sports between 2020 and 2021

Replaces Victor Francoswho last Thursday unexpectedly announced his resignation from the position, just a couple of weeks after being ratified by the new head of the Sports portfolio, the minister Pilar Alegría. He defended that it was his own decision, but Relevo explained that he was invited to resign so as not to be dismissed, after having attitudes that were not appropriate for the position he held.

Rodríguez Uribes was the head of Spanish Sports during the pandemic, but all management in this matter was concentrated in the person who then presided over the CSD. Irene Lozano. She also lived for a couple of months with José Manuel Franco, Francos’ predecessor, before Sánchez dispensed with him during the government crisis that took place in 2021.

The career of Rodríguez Uribes

His appointment to that position was already surprising, since he is a philosopher by training and lacked experience in cultural and sports management. In politics, he had held the positions of Government delegate in Madridduring the first presidency of Pedro Sánchez, and general director of Support for Victims of Terrorisma responsibility he held for five years (2006-2011), with José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero of president of the Government.

As president of the CSD, his most urgent task will be to approve the Ministerial Order that must regulate electoral processes in sports federations, with the football federation (RFEF) under the microscope after the case Rubiales. A procedure that is already a couple of weeks late. In the medium term, he will have to lead the negotiations with Morocco and Portugal to finish shaping the 2030 World Cup candidacyas well as facing the final stretch of preparations for the Olympic Games that will be held next summer in Paris.