Luis Sabalza
Luis Sabalza Iriarte (born 23 October 1947)[1] is a Spanish lawyer and sports executive. He has been the president of CA Osasuna since 2014. During his mandate, the club won promotion to La Liga in 2016 and 2019, the latter as champions of the Segunda División, as well as reaching the 2023 Copa del Rey final and qualifying for the UEFA Conference League in a first European campaign since 2006.
Biography
[edit]Born in Sangüesa in Navarre, Sabalza is the eldest of five siblings, is separated, and has three children. He studied at seminary for six years. At 17, he left to work for Fundación Caja Navarra while studying for a law degree via the National University of Distance Education (UNED). He then joined the foundation's legal department, and after taking early retirement he set up his own law firm.[2]
In December 2014, Sabalza was elected as president of newly relegated Segunda División club CA Osasuna, as the only candidate. The club had been under a managerial commission for six months as no candidate stood in the previous two elections after the resignation of Miguel Archanco. Sabalza had since 1998 been part of the legal department of the club. The club was going through a period of high debts.[3]
Osasuna won promotion to La Liga in 2015–16; Sabalza said that the debt situation was no longer "terminal" but still serious.[4] His team were instantly relegated, but returned as champions of the 2018–19 Segunda División, making him the only Osasuna president to win top-flight promotion twice.[5]
Sabalza was re-elected as club president in 2017 and 2021, unopposed.[6][7] In May 2021, he attended an event led by the Government of Navarre to remember victims of Nationalist reprisals in the Spanish Civil War, including members of Osasuna; this was the first official recognition of the events by Osasuna.[8] In December 2021, he was given the Gold Medal of Navarre by the government, in the name of Osasuna; in his acceptance speech, he again mentioned the victims of reprisals.[9]
In 2022–23, Osasuna finished 7th (a best finish since 2011–12), reached the Copa del Rey final for the first time since 2005, and qualified for the UEFA Conference League for a first European campaign since the 2006–07 UEFA Cup. Sabalza was rewarded with the honour of launching the firework to initiate Pamplona's Festival of San Fermín in July 2023.[10]
In June 2025, Sabalza called another election for the presidency of Osasuna, and confirmed his candidacy.[11]
References
[edit]- ^ Gómez, Javi. "Luis Sabalza: "Hemos llegado a un acuerdo con el Gobierno para ampliar El Sadar"" [Luis Sabalza: "We have reached an agreement with the Government to expand El Sadar"] (in Spanish). Noticias de Navarra. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ Leoné, Javier; Aguinaga, Iban (18 August 2015). "Luis Sabalza: "Osasuna, en Segunda, pagará su deuda con Hacienda en siete años"" [Luis Sabalza: "Osasuna, in Segunda, will pay off its debt to the Treasury in seven years"] (in Spanish). Noticias de Navarra. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ "Sabalza toma posesión como presidente de Osasuna" [Sabalza takes office as president of Osasuna]. Diario AS (in Spanish). EFE. 10 December 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ Betelu, Cristian (26 October 2016). "Sabalza se emociona al recordar el ascenso de Osasuna pero advierte: "Hemos pasado de fase terminal a enfermo en planta"" [Sabalza becomes emotional when remembering Osasuna's promotion but warns: "We have gone from the terminal phase to a patient on the ward"] (in Spanish). Navarra.com. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ Monreal, Félix (22 May 2019). "Sabalza y la paz social" [Sabalza and social peace] (in Spanish). Noticias de Navarra. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ "Lafón pide suspender las elecciones pero Osasuna se opone" [Lafón asks to suspend the elections but Osasuna opposes]. Marca (in Spanish). EFE. 21 December 2017. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ "Luis Sabalza, proclamado presidente de Osasuna durante los próximos cuatro años" [Luis Sabalza, proclaimed president of Osasuna for the next four years] (in Spanish). Navarra.com. 22 November 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ "Osasuna se compromete a ir al homenaje a los represaliados" [Osasuna commits to go to the homage to the victims of reprisals] (in Spanish). Noticias de Navarra. 15 May 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ "Luis Sabalza, recoge la Medalla de Oro de Navarra 2021 en representación de Osasuna" [Luis Sabalza, receives the 2021 Gold Medal of Navarre in representation of Osasuna] (in Spanish). Cadena COPE. 3 December 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ "Luis Sabalza, tras lanzar el chupinazo de los Sanfermines 2023: "Ha sido una emoción indescriptible"" [Luis Sabalza, after launching the rocket at the 2023 San Fermín festival: "It has been an indescribable emotion"] (in Spanish). Europa Press. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ Fuza, Gorka (11 June 2025). "Sabalza volverá a presentarse" [Sabalza will present himself again]. Diario de Navarra (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 July 2025.