Aitor Elizegi | |
---|---|
32nd President of Athletic Bilbao | |
In office 27 December 2018 –24 June 2022 | |
Preceded by | Josu Urrutia |
Succeeded by | Jon Uriarte |
Personal details | |
Born | Aitor Elizegi Alberdi 27 June 1966 Bilbao,Spain |
Political party | Basque Nationalist Party |
Profession | Entrepreneur,chef |
Aitor Elizegi Alberdi (born 27 June 1966) is a Spanish entrepreneur,chef and the president of football club Athletic Bilbao from 2018 to 2022.
Born in 1966,in Santutxu,Bilbao,Elizegi grew up supporting Athletic Bilbao,becoming a member of the club at the age of 25. [1] Elizegi entered the culinary industry in 1987,winning the Spanish Chefs Championship a year later and the Basque Gastronomy Award in 2000 for best restaurateur at his Gaminiz restaurant. [2] As of 2019,Elizegi is head of a number of Basque restaurants in Bilbao,including Txocook,Bascook and Basquery. [3]
On 27 December 2018,Elizegi won Athletic Bilbao's presidential election to succeeding former incumbent Josu Urrutia,defeating Alberto Uribe-Echevarría,treasurer under Urrutia,by a margin of just 85 votes. [a]
One of his first acts as president was to replace the long-serving sporting director JoséMaría Amorrortu with Rafael Alkorta and Andoni Ayarza,(both former players of the club), [5] [6] as promised in his election campaign. [7]
He did not seek re-election at the end of his four-year term in 2022,with Jon Uriarte appointed to succeed him. [8]
Elizegi is a member of the Basque Nationalist Party. [9] Elizegi is a Basque nationalist and independentist, [10] and has expressed a desire for the admittance of a Basque national football team into UEFA. [11]