Portugal’s new national sports development plan, designed to boost athletic participation and performance, will only achieve its goals if the government commits sufficient financial resources, according to the head of the country’s sports confederation.
Daniel Monteiro, president of the Portuguese Sports Confederation (CDP), welcomed the plan approved by the Council of Ministers on Thursday. He underscored that many of its proposed measures align with long-standing demands from sports federations and clubs.
“It is essential that there are resources to make this plan effectively feasible,” Monteiro stated, highlighting a critical gap in the government’s announcement.
He pointed out that current funding for sports federations, when adjusted for inflation, is lower than it was two decades ago. Federations, he added, possess ambition but require adequate financing to implement the new proposals.
The CDP and various sports federations had presented their own strategic plan to the government in January 2024. This proposal aimed to define clear objectives and a structured path for the future of the sports sector.
The government’s plan identifies six pillars for development, including democratizing access to sports from an early age and improving coordination between school and federated sports.
It also aims to provide better conditions for clubs to develop athletes, combat early abandonment of sports, and foster more robust competitive frameworks. These pillars, Monteiro noted, reflect needs long recognized by the CDP, federations, and clubs.