Artur Lopes, the outgoing president of the Portuguese Olympic Committee, hasn’t spoken to Fernando Gomes since the election. The “passing of the torch” was handled by the Electoral Commission, led by Vasco Lynce.
Lopes arrived at the Belém Cultural Center in Lisbon for the COP’s social bodies handover ceremony. When asked about the transition, he said, “The Electoral Commission is here for that.” He didn’t elaborate.
Before the election, Lopes questioned whether Gomes would be a good president. Gomes, the former president of the Portuguese Football Federation, later criticized Lopes for lacking equity and ethics at a skating gala in Paredes.
Lopes said, “I don’t know if the COP is in good hands. We’ve all heard and read my thoughts on the candidates. There’s no ideal candidate. The president needs certain qualities, and some have more than others.” He added, “Gomes was elected, and the majority recognized him as the ideal candidate. Now we’ll see.”
Regarding the recent searches at the Portuguese Football Federation, which resulted in two suspects, Lopes said, “That’s nothing yet.” He advised waiting calmly and expecting the best for the COP.
As the vice-president of the Olympic Committee for 23 years, Lopes was elected president on September 6, following the death of José Manuel Constantino. He initially announced he wouldn’t run for the position and would only assist the current team. His nomination was confirmed unanimously by 26 Olympic federations and 22 organizations.