“The (Un)Government of Sport in Portugal” is a reflection book by António Silva
“There is a lot to change. Responsibility doesn’t die alone. It’s not just the side of political parties and the government, but also of those who give this daily newspaper to sports”, he summarizes, in statements to the Lusa agency.
The work, launched today at the headquarters of the Olympic Committee of Portugal (COP), has four parts, with the second coming out in 2023, the third in 2024 and the fourth in 2025.
The “change and financial practices” of the legal regime of the measures fed “to the new times of governance and administration”, as well as the regulation of the governance of direct bets are among the measures recommended by the ante some rules for the sport to stop being “looked at with confidence “.
The book contemplates the “academic look of a professor” of the experience in sports organizations “emphasis on the importance of real sport”, which, in his understanding, not even society gives the parties the importance they understand.
António José Silva dedicates special attention to the State’s response to the specificities of sport in times of covid-19, as well as to the programs and proposals of other parties in the Assembly of the Republic.
“The problem of sport does not have the responsibility to legislate, but other parties in the Assembly of the Republic that do not propose that they also have the responsibility to leverage sport for the social importance it should have”, he criticizes.
The official understands that “neither the Government nor the other parties play their role of assuming sport in its social dimension”, citing a set of contrary and successful examples in the ‘Old Continent’, inside and outside the European Union.
“Sports agents themselves do not know how to value sport in a concerted and synergistic way, they only make it a priority because that is how politicians look at sport, because they directly affect those who vote for them. Responsibility is shared. , the sports system and politicians”, he adds.
In the second volume, António José Silva will present a model for the sport of Portugal for the following decades at the structural level, as well as an analysis of the determining factors of the success of the countries in terms of sport.
According to the author, the third volume deals with specific issues such as grassroots sport, promotion of talent, support for scientific research, the importance of coaches and the training of coaches or post-career training, among others.
Finally, the fourth volume has a “more personal” context, presenting data, facts and personalities, “people more and less outstanding in sport”, shortly after António José Silva left the FPN, as in 2024 the third and last term ends, imposed by law.
To Lusa, who is not a candidate for the position of the Olympic Committee of Portugal, equate, in a competitive tone, even if “it will be difficult” “in itself, “after the assertiveness of the statements in the book”.