Unanimous Election at UCEC Leadership Vote
Gemma Romeu Creixell, current president of the Consell Esportiu de l'Alt Penedès and councillor in Vilafranca del Penedès, has been elected president of the Unió de Consells Esportius de Catalunya (UCEC). The vote took place during a meeting of the Consell Directiu, the governing body responsible for management and administration of the UCEC. Romeu succeeds Jaume Domingo, who previously held the role. Her election was unanimous among the 19 members of the Consell Directiu, which represents sports councils from Lleida, Tarragona, Terres de l'Ebre, Girona, the Barcelona region, and the city of Barcelona.
New Executive Board Appointed
The newly constituted board includes Patrícia Illa, representing Anoia, as first vice-president. Àngel Peretó from Pallars Jussà will serve as treasurer, and Pere Valls from Tarragonès takes on the role of secretary. Additional vice-presidencies are now held by Jaume Mora, Jordi Sarlé, Mar Quera, and Víctor Grau. The Consell Directiu is formed under the governance structure detailed on ucec.cat, which outlines its composition and executive functions.
Priorities: School Sport, Transparency and Cohesion
Following her appointment, Romeu stated that her leadership will prioritise "cohesion, economic stability, and advancing school sport across Catalonia, placing it at the heart of our daily work." She also committed to governing with "rigor, transparency, and responsibility." The UCEC, established in 1984, supports grassroots physical activity, particularly among children. It oversees the implementation of regional government programmes such as the Jocs Esportius Escolars, Pla Català d'Esport a l'Escola, and Esport Blanc Popular, initiatives funded by the Generalitat to promote inclusive school-based sport.
We must ensure that every child in Catalonia has access to quality sport, regardless of where they live or their background.
Romeu brings professional experience in digital communication and marketing, alongside a long-standing commitment to community sport development. As regidora in Vilafranca del Penedès, she has worked directly on local sports policy.
Funding and Broader Context
The UCEC received a €450,000 grant from the Catalan government in 2026, as confirmed in an official press release published by govern.cat. This funding supports the coordination of school sport initiatives through local councils. The organisation is also part of the broader Unió d’Esports de Catalunya (UEC), formed through the integration of the UCEC and the Unió de Federacions Esportives de Catalunya (UFEC). The UEC recently launched the Consell de la Dona to strengthen women's roles in Catalan sport, a body on which Romeu now serves as president of the Alt Penedès council (elnacional.cat). The UCEC’s full list of member councils, including Alt Penedès, Anoia, Baix Llobregat, Gironès, Tarragonès, and others, is published on ucec.cat, reflecting its territorial reach across Catalonia.
Primary sources: govern.cat. Reported by ucec.cat, elnacional.cat, SPORT.es, CEBLLOB, el3devuit.cat, UCEC, El 3 de Vuit, ufec.cat, Redacció Ebredigital.cat, reusdigital.cat.
