NOC Portugal Olympic Athletes' Commission

The NOC Portugal Olympic Athletes’ Commission has been following recent developments

concerning the reality of the sport sector in Portugal with serious concern.

Sport is once again facing major challenges that test the resilience of the entire National Sport

Movement. From the athletes, to the officials, covering all those who, directly or indirectly, are in

some way related to sport.

However, all those who believe that the role of sport goes far beyond high sporting performance,

and know from their own experience of its indisputable contribution to the personal development

of each citizen and of various areas of society, have not confined themselves to facing successive

waves of crisis, barricaded around their specific problems or invoking intrinsic arguments. This

time, they have gone further!

In an unprecedented collaborative partnership, they sought solutions, shared scarce resources,

presented proposals to address the profound impact of the pandemic crisis, working together

towards two very clear purposes of prominent national interest: safeguarding the public health of

the Portuguese people and protecting the national sports fabric.

It is therefore with concern that we acknowledge having missed the opportunity to establish a

fruitful and constructive dialogue between political decision-makers, sports leaders and even

athletes around measures to be proposed. Because everyone should be heard, because each one

can bring a distinct but important contribution to finding the balanced and reasonable solutions

that the urgency of the present crisis imposes.

We are aware of the complexity of the current context, which cuts across all sectors of society.

But, in our view, contrary to what is evident in other areas of society, there is a lack of measures to

support the sport sector, even contradicting the recommendations of international bodies and the

examples followed by other Member States of the European Union.

We acknowledge that positive efforts have been persecuted in order to ensure the best possible

conditions for athletes on the road to the Tokyo Olympic Games. On these, it is important to

minimise any destabilising factors that may arise, directly or indirectly, from the current situation,

when we are less than nine months away from the Olympic Games.

But, it is with great concern that we look to the future, to the Olympians of tomorrow, considering

the great constraints that currently arise in grassroots and youth sport, and that probably will

irreparably undermine the value chain that feeds the athlete's pathway to the Olympic level.

In our view, many steps have yet to be taken in defence of a sector which, although without due

recognition, assumes vital importance in society. And everyone - athletes, government, sports

bodies, federations, clubs and the rest of civil society - must work responsibly and collectively to

ensure the survival of national sport.

Therefore, we publicly state our deep disquiet with the future of the national sports movement,

which demands inevitable measures for its sustainability and viability, exhorting all those with

decision-making responsibilities to take them, with the urgency determined by the enormous

difficulties the sports sector is facing.

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