Spyros Capralos and Neven Ilic have decided to withdraw their candidacies for the presidency of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) and endorse Alejandro Blanco. The European Olympic Committees President outlines the agreement with the Panam Sports President in a letter addressed to European National Olympic Committees. Both are seeking to rally support behind the Spanish Olympic Committee President in a race in which Mustapha Berraf already has the unanimous backing of ANOCA, the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa.
The decision changes the landscape ahead of the ANOC General Assembly, which will take place from 7 to 10 December in Hong Kong and elect a new President as Robin Mitchell’s term comes to an end, as confirmed by the organisation. Capralos and Ilic propose bringing their support together behind a single candidate capable of connecting Europe and the Americas. That agreement reflects the intentions of the two leaders; support from individual National Olympic Committees will have to materialise during the electoral process.
Capralos explains that his discussions with Ilic led them to advocate a specific profile for the presidency: someone currently leading a National Olympic Committee, with direct knowledge of its daily needs and responsibilities. Blanco, who has led the Spanish Olympic Committee since 2005, is their choice. “The President of Panam Sports and I have jointly decided to support the candidacy of Mr Alejandro Blanco for the presidency of ANOC,” writes the Greek official, asking European NOCs to place in the Spaniard the trust they had previously placed in him.
Independence from the IOC enters the debate
The letter also raises a question about the relationship between ANOC and the International Olympic Committee. Capralos considers it necessary to preserve “a clear and independent identity, free from any perception that its decisions or positions are dictated by the IOC”. On that basis, he and Ilic argue that the presidency should be held by someone who is not an IOC member. This is the criterion they advocate for choosing the next President; the letter does not identify any specific intervention by the international body in these elections.
Berraf starts with ANOCA’s formal backing
Berraf enters this phase with continental support already expressed collectively. ANOCA announced its unanimous endorsement of his candidacy in June and published a motion supporting its President. That decision gives him a foundation from which to seek support on other continents. For Blanco, the move announced by Capralos now opens the task of turning an agreement between two continental leaders into support from the committees they represent.
Berraf’s platform also seeks to extend beyond Africa. His ANOC Vision 2036 programme proposes strengthening all 206 National Olympic Committees, increasing cooperation between continents and placing athletes at the centre of decision-making, according to his campaign website. The Algerian official, who is also an IOC member, therefore faces a campaign in which both the needs of NOCs and the institutional profile of the person representing them will be debated.
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