The Portuguese Olympic Committee (COP) has signed its first sports development agreements to support the renovation and improvement of sports facilities across Portugal, as well as projects aimed at creating more opportunities for women and girls to take part in sport.

The first agreements were signed at a ceremony at Cinema Batalha in Porto, attended by representatives of more than 60 organisations.

“The COP has the important responsibility of ensuring that funding reaches the organisations that need it, with care, transparency and efficiency,” said COP President Fernando Gomes.

“These grants will help clubs welcome more people and provide better conditions for practising sport. They will also create more opportunities for girls and women, with significant investment spread across different regions of the country,” he added.

The Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Margarida Balseiro Lopes, highlighted the Government’s major investment in sport. She also stressed the importance of local sports clubs and associations in helping children, young people and adults start participating in sport and develop their skills.

The projects supported by these two measures are particularly important because they show the COP’s commitment to improving sports facilities and creating more opportunities for women in sport. They will also benefit clubs, associations and local communities, helping make sport more accessible and providing better conditions for everyone.

In total, the programme will support 228 projects, with a total investment of approximately €5 million. Of these, 143 projects will promote women’s participation in sport, with funding of €2.2 million, while 85 projects will focus on renovating and improving sports facilities, with funding of €2.66 million.