Mariano Rajoy reaffirms government's commitment to Spanish sport

Spanish Olympic Committee Headquarters, Madrid

The President of the Government praised the participation by Spanish athletes at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), who came away with 17 medals and 38 diplomas. "This can only be considered as a success for Spain", he said in his speech in a tribute to the COE and to the Olympic medal-winners, which was also attended by the Minister for Education, Culture and Sport and Government Spokesperson, Íñigo Méndez de Vigo.

"The people of Spain shared your enthusiasm and desire, we accompanied you in every competition and we are grateful that you have made us live the emotion", he stated. The President of the Government also expressed his gratitude to Rafael Nadal, who led Spanish delegation carrying the national flag, as well as to the sponsors and the COE for their contributions to these good results.

"Sport is a mechanism for union in which all the stakeholders must collaborate to continue making progress and guarantee that our athletes benefit from optimum work conditions and physical preparation to face up to their competitive challenges", he remarked.

New milestone for Spanish Olympic sport

EFEMariano Rajoy highlighted the quantitative leap that Spanish sport has taken in recent years; progress which another distinguished athlete at the gala event, Jesús Ángel García Bragado, who has taken part in seven Olympic Games, has borne witness to. As part of this upward curve, the performance in Rio "represents a new milestone in our Olympic participation and helps boost the practice of sport in our country, which is a stimulus for the best Olympic values and an example to us all", he declared.

Mariano Rajoy underlined the "crucial role" that sports stars play in the image Spain portrays overseas, "but also in the image that Spanish people have of ourselves", and in the promotion of values such as hard work and dedication.

He also defended the work carried out in the last term of office in the world of sport, a work that must continue in such areas as the fight against doping, improvements to federations, fostering inclusion, strengthening Paralympic sport, which "has also given us many moments to remember", boosting equality and the elimination of any form of violence.

Mariano Rajoy also emphasised the good results from the ADO programme (Olympic Sport Association) and reaffirmed the government's commitment to sport. "Together with our partners, the Spanish Olympic Committee, RTVE [Spanish Radio and Television], collaborators and sponsors, we will keep up our commitment to our Olympians and, between us all, we will redesign a new plan that will allow these goals to be maintained", he announced.