Juan Carlos Barcos has been appointed a member of the IJF Executive Committee, and once again assuming the role of IJF Head Referee Director. Barcos is also President of the Royal Spanish Judo and Associated Sports Federation (RFEJYDA).
The appointment marks Barcos’ return to a responsibility closely linked to his international career: Leading refereeing at world level, an area to which he has dedicated a significant part of his life in judo.
“Taking on the role of IJF Head Referee Director again, a position I left in 2021 to become the IJF International Relations Director, has a very special meaning for me,” Barcos said. “It is a responsibility I held for many years, for almost two decades, and one that represents a fundamental part of my career in international judo.”
Even when he was no longer the IJF’s head referee director, Barcos had remained closely connected to refereeing. “I have never stepped away from refereeing or from the IJF,” Barcos said. “I have continued to collaborate and deliver seminars in countries around the world, sharing experiences and contributing to the education and development of refereeing. For this reason, returning to this responsibility also means returning to an area of judo to which I feel deeply connected.”
His appointment carries particular significance for European judo. Alongside his responsibilities as president of the RFEJYDA, Barcos is a member of the EJU Executive Committee and serves as EJU Education Referee Director.
