Olympic Committee of Portugal
Encyclopedia
The Olympic Committee of Portugal is a non-profit organisation of public utility
, which serves as the National Olympic Committee
(NOC) for Portugal
. It was founded on October 26, 1909, to ensure a timely, methodical and state-sponsored participation at the Games of the V Olympiad
, in Stockholm
. Thus, it was the 13th nation to join the Olympic Movement.
As a NOC, its responsibilities include the setup and management of a delegation for the Olympic Games
, and fundraising
to support Olympic-related sports development programmes, by cooperation with public and private entities. A universe of 64 national sports federations is assembled under the COP's wing as members with voting power. This intimate relationship with the federations helps carrying their interests close to the government and official organisms, and ensures their active and decisive intervention on the committee's internal affairs.
Current president is José Vicente de Moura
, elected in 1997 and on his third consecutive term of office. Former COP president Fernando Lima Bello
is the current Portuguese delegate at the International Olympic Committee
(IOC).
himself, a known sports-lover. Nevertheless, the country lacked a proper organisation that would handle exclusively with the logistic
s, fundings and preparations required for an Olympic participation. In this way, the COP's establishment on 26 October 1909, filled this "institutional hole". However, not everyone regards this date as the official Olympism's date of institution in Portugal. Sources defend the date when António de Lencastre accepted Pierre de Coubertin
's offer (9 June 1906) as the real accession date to the Olympic Movement, which would make this nation the 10th to do it, not the 13th, as is. An edition of the newspaper "Sports Ilustrado", from May 4, 1912, even claims the COP's foundation on April 30 of that year, that is, three years later than what is the currently recognised date. It is uncertain whether 1912 is the true foundation year, but it is believed that this date was not adopted later on by the COP, so that Portugal would not lose its place on the IOC founding members' list
The COP was developed on the structure of the now-extinct Sociedade Promotora de Educação Física Nacional (Society for the National Promotion of Physical Education) whose president, Jaime Mauperrin Santos, became the COP's first president. The primary goal for the committee's creation was to organise a mission to participate at the 1912 Summer Olympics
in Sweden
. Thus, between 1910 and 1912, the COP promoted the "Games for Olympic preparation", which were a renamed version of the "National Olympic Games". Finally, in 1912 this goal was fulfilled and the Games of the V Olympiad were Portugal's first
. On August 14, 1919, the Portuguese Minister of Public Instruction signed a decree
, officially recognizing the COP and granting it a subsidy
.
In 1925, the COP organised the first "National Athletics
Games" and the first "International Sports Games", which only allowed amateur
s to take part. The aims of these games were the promotion of sports practice and cultural contact with other competitors, and the motivation of Portuguese athletes to prepare themselves for a participation at the 1928 Summer Olympics
. The delegations at the 1932
and 1936 Summer Olympics
were smaller than in previous Olympiads because of financial problems to which the government was not sensible. Nevertheless, in Berlin
, Portugal conquered its third Olympic medal.
In 1939, during the 39th IOC Session, in London
, the Portuguese member suggested the promotion of roller hockey
to Olympic sport, however the committee delayed any decision. During World War II
, the IOC, taking advantage of Portugal's neutrality, used its national committee as its correspondence transmitter for the other European NOCs. After the war, the relationship between the COP and government became tense when the latter tried to interfere with the NOC's autonomy
. As response to COP's "disobedience", state funding was canceled and the committee members had to finance themselves the Olympic participation at the London Games
. Surprisingly, this participation was the largest ever and the most rewarding at that time, with two medals and the first silver
. The country's participation at the 1960 Games
of Rome
was unassured because of disagreements inside the COP structure. It was only decided on the last minute with a direct intervention of the IOC president Avery Brundage
, on a visit to Lisbon.
In the following four years, the COP had two members elected for the newly created International Olympic Academy
(1962) and started publishing its bimonthly magazine "Olimpo
" (1964), which still exists.
Despite political pressure and government funding cuts, the COP set up a public fundraising campaign and, with the IOC's support, managed to send a symbolic delegation to the boycotted Moscow Games
, thus displaying a strong loyalty to the Olympic values. The participation in the following Games
was to be, however, Portugal's best
as Carlos Lopes
paved his way to victory on the marathon
, and the national anthem
echoed for the first time inside an Olympic stadium. On October 26, 1984, the IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch
visited Portugal to take part in the 75th anniversary's ceremonies of the Portuguese presence in the Olympic Movement. Later that year, the COP celebrated the Movement's 90th anniversary of its foundation in 1894. Three years later, the Portuguese Olympic Academy (Portuguese: Academia Olímpica de Portugal, AOP) is created as an integrated organism of the COP.
After ending its presidencial term, Fernando Lima Bello
was elected IOC member for Portugal, in 1989; a position he still exerts currently. He was succeeded on the COP leadership by current president José Vicente de Moura
. In 1991, the COP was represented at the first "European Youth Olympic Days" (now called European Youth Olympic Festival
, EYOF), held in Brussels
. A year later, the committee approved the institution's name changing from Comité Olímpico Português (English: Portuguese Olympic Committee) to the current Comité Olímpico de Portugal.
, from 2 to May 9, 1926. The city was also two-time host to the General Assembly of the Association of European National Olympic Committees (AENOC) — the future European Olympic Committees
association (EOC): in 1975, marked by the association's statutes approval, and in 1994. In 1985, the city stages a well-attended meeting of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), with the presence of the IOC.
In 1997, the 4th EYOF takes place in the Portuguese capital as result of a successful COP bid. A year later, the IOC was represented at the Expo '98
, Lisbon's World's Fair
, following a three-year early invitation by the COP.
Elections for these organs occur every first trimester of the year following that of the Summer Olympic Games
. Every term (except those of the IOC members) has a duration correspondent to an Olympiad
, that is, 4 years. The current social organs were elected on March 11, 2005, for the XXIX Olympiad
period (January 1, 2008 – December 31, 2012).
There are six other entities bound to the COP, that were created within the committee. These comprise the Portuguese Olympic Academy (AOP), the Olympic Athletes Commission, and four other advisory commissions
:
s and extended financial support from private and public entities. These resources are constituted by:
Currently there are 64 sports federations linked to the COP as ordinary members, of which 30 comprise Olympic sports (such as athletics
, basketball
, fencing
, judo
, skiing
, swimming
or wrestling
) and 34 supervise non-Olympic sports (such as autosport
, chess
, golf
, roller skating
or surfing
).
It is also COP's function to distinguish national competitors and sports-related organisations for their contribution to Portuguese sport both internally and internationally. The Olympic Medal Nobre Guedes
is COP's most prestigious award for still-active Portuguese sportspeople, having been given every year since 1951.
Public utility
A public utility is an organization that maintains the infrastructure for a public service . Public utilities are subject to forms of public control and regulation ranging from local community-based groups to state-wide government monopolies...
, which serves as the National Olympic Committee
National Olympic Committee
National Olympic Committees are the national constituents of the worldwide Olympic movement. Subject to the controls of the International Olympic Committee, they are responsible for organizing their people's participation in the Olympic Games...
(NOC) for Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. It was founded on October 26, 1909, to ensure a timely, methodical and state-sponsored participation at the Games of the V Olympiad
1912 Summer Olympics
The 1912 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 5 May and 27 July 1912. Twenty-eight nations and 2,407 competitors, including 48 women, competed in 102 events in 14 sports...
, in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. Thus, it was the 13th nation to join the Olympic Movement.
As a NOC, its responsibilities include the setup and management of a delegation for the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
, and fundraising
Fundraising
Fundraising or fund raising is the process of soliciting and gathering voluntary contributions as money or other resources, by requesting donations from individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies...
to support Olympic-related sports development programmes, by cooperation with public and private entities. A universe of 64 national sports federations is assembled under the COP's wing as members with voting power. This intimate relationship with the federations helps carrying their interests close to the government and official organisms, and ensures their active and decisive intervention on the committee's internal affairs.
Current president is José Vicente de Moura
José Vicente de Moura
José Vicente de Moura is the current president of the Olympic Committee of Portugal since 1997. This is his second term on this office, as he also held this position from 1990 to 1992. He was Portugal's chief of mission at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, United States, where this nation...
, elected in 1997 and on his third consecutive term of office. Former COP president Fernando Lima Bello
Fernando Lima Bello
Fernando Lima Bello is Portugal's current and only member of the International Olympic Committee since 1989, when he ended his term at the presidency of the Olympic Committee of Portugal.Education...
is the current Portuguese delegate at the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
(IOC).
History
Portugal had an official representative (António de Lencastre) at the IOC, since 9 June 1906, whose proposal came directly from King Carlos ICarlos I of Portugal
-Assassination:On 1 February 1908 the royal family returned from the palace of Vila Viçosa to Lisbon. They travelled by train to Barreiro and, from there, they took a steamer to cross the Tagus River and disembarked at Cais do Sodré in central Lisbon. On their way to the royal palace, the open...
himself, a known sports-lover. Nevertheless, the country lacked a proper organisation that would handle exclusively with the logistic
Logistic
Logistic may refer to:* Logistics, the management of resources and their distributions** Logistic engineering, the scientific study of logistics** Military logistics, the study of logistics at the service of military units and operations...
s, fundings and preparations required for an Olympic participation. In this way, the COP's establishment on 26 October 1909, filled this "institutional hole". However, not everyone regards this date as the official Olympism's date of institution in Portugal. Sources defend the date when António de Lencastre accepted Pierre de Coubertin
Pierre de Coubertin
Pierre de Frédy, Baron de Coubertin was a French educationalist and historian, founder of the International Olympic Committee, and is considered the father of the modern Olympic Games...
's offer (9 June 1906) as the real accession date to the Olympic Movement, which would make this nation the 10th to do it, not the 13th, as is. An edition of the newspaper "Sports Ilustrado", from May 4, 1912, even claims the COP's foundation on April 30 of that year, that is, three years later than what is the currently recognised date. It is uncertain whether 1912 is the true foundation year, but it is believed that this date was not adopted later on by the COP, so that Portugal would not lose its place on the IOC founding members' list
The COP was developed on the structure of the now-extinct Sociedade Promotora de Educação Física Nacional (Society for the National Promotion of Physical Education) whose president, Jaime Mauperrin Santos, became the COP's first president. The primary goal for the committee's creation was to organise a mission to participate at the 1912 Summer Olympics
1912 Summer Olympics
The 1912 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 5 May and 27 July 1912. Twenty-eight nations and 2,407 competitors, including 48 women, competed in 102 events in 14 sports...
in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. Thus, between 1910 and 1912, the COP promoted the "Games for Olympic preparation", which were a renamed version of the "National Olympic Games". Finally, in 1912 this goal was fulfilled and the Games of the V Olympiad were Portugal's first
Portugal at the 1912 Summer Olympics
Portugal competed in the Summer Olympic Games for the first time at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden.A delegation of six competitors participated in three sports, however no medal was conquered...
. On August 14, 1919, the Portuguese Minister of Public Instruction signed a decree
Decree
A decree is a rule of law issued by a head of state , according to certain procedures . It has the force of law...
, officially recognizing the COP and granting it a subsidy
Subsidy
A subsidy is an assistance paid to a business or economic sector. Most subsidies are made by the government to producers or distributors in an industry to prevent the decline of that industry or an increase in the prices of its products or simply to encourage it to hire more labor A subsidy (also...
.
In 1925, the COP organised the first "National Athletics
Athletics (track and field)
Athletics is an exclusive collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking. The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross country running, and race walking...
Games" and the first "International Sports Games", which only allowed amateur
Amateur sports
Amateur sports are sports in which participants engage largely or entirely without remuneration. Sporting amateurism was a zealously guarded ideal in the 19th century, especially among the upper classes, but faced steady erosion throughout the 20th century with the continuing growth of pro sports...
s to take part. The aims of these games were the promotion of sports practice and cultural contact with other competitors, and the motivation of Portuguese athletes to prepare themselves for a participation at the 1928 Summer Olympics
1928 Summer Olympics
The 1928 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Amsterdam had bid for the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games, but had to give way to war-victim Antwerp, Belgium, and Pierre de...
. The delegations at the 1932
1932 Summer Olympics
The 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, was a major world wide multi-athletic event which was celebrated in 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. No other cities made a bid to host these Olympics. Held during the worldwide Great Depression, many nations...
and 1936 Summer Olympics
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
were smaller than in previous Olympiads because of financial problems to which the government was not sensible. Nevertheless, in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Portugal conquered its third Olympic medal.
In 1939, during the 39th IOC Session, in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the Portuguese member suggested the promotion of roller hockey
Roller hockey
Roller Hockey is a form of hockey played on a dry surface using skates with wheels. The term "Roller Hockey" is often used interchangeably to refer to two variant forms chiefly differentiated by the type of skate used. There is traditional "Roller Hockey," played with quad roller skates, and...
to Olympic sport, however the committee delayed any decision. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the IOC, taking advantage of Portugal's neutrality, used its national committee as its correspondence transmitter for the other European NOCs. After the war, the relationship between the COP and government became tense when the latter tried to interfere with the NOC's autonomy
Autonomy
Autonomy is a concept found in moral, political and bioethical philosophy. Within these contexts, it is the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision...
. As response to COP's "disobedience", state funding was canceled and the committee members had to finance themselves the Olympic participation at the London Games
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
. Surprisingly, this participation was the largest ever and the most rewarding at that time, with two medals and the first silver
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
. The country's participation at the 1960 Games
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
was unassured because of disagreements inside the COP structure. It was only decided on the last minute with a direct intervention of the IOC president Avery Brundage
Avery Brundage
Avery Brundage was an American amateur athlete, sports official, art collector, and philanthropist. Brundage competed in the 1912 Olympics and was the US national all-around athlete in 1914, 1916 and 1918...
, on a visit to Lisbon.
In the following four years, the COP had two members elected for the newly created International Olympic Academy
International Olympic Academy
As stated on the website of the International Olympic Academy, "The International Olympic Academy functions as a multicultural interdisciplinary center that aims at studying, enriching and promoting Olympism."...
(1962) and started publishing its bimonthly magazine "Olimpo
Olimpo
Olimpo may refer to:*Olimpo, California, in Glenn County*Garage Olimpo, Argentine, French, and Italian film*Fuerte Olimpo, city in Paraguay*Olimpo de Bahía Blanca, Argentine sports club located in Bahía Blanca, Argentina* Spanish for Olympus...
" (1964), which still exists.
Despite political pressure and government funding cuts, the COP set up a public fundraising campaign and, with the IOC's support, managed to send a symbolic delegation to the boycotted Moscow Games
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
, thus displaying a strong loyalty to the Olympic values. The participation in the following Games
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
was to be, however, Portugal's best
Portugal at the 1984 Summer Olympics
Portugal competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, United States.A delegation of thirty eight competitors participated in eleven sports, bringing home a total of three medals – a feat only repeated 20 years later, in Athens – including Portugal's first ever Olympic gold medal, through...
as Carlos Lopes
Carlos Lopes
Carlos Alberto de Sousa Lopes, GCIH, is a former Portuguese long-distance athlete, winner of the marathon race at the 1984 Summer Olympics, in Los Angeles. He brought home Portugal's first ever Olympic gold medal along with a new Olympic record - 2:09.21.Born in Vildemoinhos, near Viseu, Portugal,...
paved his way to victory on the marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
, and the national anthem
A Portuguesa
A Portuguesa , , is the national anthem of Portugal. It was composed by Alfredo Keil and written by Henrique Lopes de Mendonça during the resurgent nationalist movement ignited by the 1890 British ultimatum to Portugal concerning its African colonies...
echoed for the first time inside an Olympic stadium. On October 26, 1984, the IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch
Juan Antonio Samaranch
Don Juan Antonio Samaranch y Torelló, 1st Marquis of Samaranch, Grandee of Spain , known in Catalan as Joan Antoni Samaranch i Torelló , was a Catalan Spanish sports administrator who served as the seventh President of the International Olympic Committee from 1980 to 2001...
visited Portugal to take part in the 75th anniversary's ceremonies of the Portuguese presence in the Olympic Movement. Later that year, the COP celebrated the Movement's 90th anniversary of its foundation in 1894. Three years later, the Portuguese Olympic Academy (Portuguese: Academia Olímpica de Portugal, AOP) is created as an integrated organism of the COP.
After ending its presidencial term, Fernando Lima Bello
Fernando Lima Bello
Fernando Lima Bello is Portugal's current and only member of the International Olympic Committee since 1989, when he ended his term at the presidency of the Olympic Committee of Portugal.Education...
was elected IOC member for Portugal, in 1989; a position he still exerts currently. He was succeeded on the COP leadership by current president José Vicente de Moura
José Vicente de Moura
José Vicente de Moura is the current president of the Olympic Committee of Portugal since 1997. This is his second term on this office, as he also held this position from 1990 to 1992. He was Portugal's chief of mission at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, United States, where this nation...
. In 1991, the COP was represented at the first "European Youth Olympic Days" (now called European Youth Olympic Festival
European Youth Olympic Festival
European Youth Olympic Festival, known by its initials EYOF, is a biennial multi-sport event for youth athletes from the 48 member countries of the association of European Olympic Committees. EYOF has a summer edition, held for the first time in Brussels in 1991, and a winter edition, which began...
, EYOF), held in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
. A year later, the committee approved the institution's name changing from Comité Olímpico Português (English: Portuguese Olympic Committee) to the current Comité Olímpico de Portugal.
Meetings and events
The COP's abilities as an organiser of international meetings and events and were shown on several occasions. Seven years after its recognition by the government, the COP convinced the IOC to hold its 24th Session in LisbonLisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, from 2 to May 9, 1926. The city was also two-time host to the General Assembly of the Association of European National Olympic Committees (AENOC) — the future European Olympic Committees
European Olympic Committees
The European Olympic Committees is an organization based in Rome, Italy. Its European membership consists of 49 National Olympic Committees.- Member countries :...
association (EOC): in 1975, marked by the association's statutes approval, and in 1994. In 1985, the city stages a well-attended meeting of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), with the presence of the IOC.
In 1997, the 4th EYOF takes place in the Portuguese capital as result of a successful COP bid. A year later, the IOC was represented at the Expo '98
Expo '98
Expo '98 was an official specialised World's Fair held in Lisbon, Portugal from Friday, May 22 to Wednesday, September 30, 1998. The theme of the fair was "The Oceans, a Heritage for the Future," chosen in part to commemorate 500 years of Portuguese discoveries...
, Lisbon's World's Fair
World's Fair
World's fair, World fair, Universal Exposition, and World Expo are various large public exhibitions held in different parts of the world. The first Expo was held in The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom, in 1851, under the title "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All...
, following a three-year early invitation by the COP.
Presidents
Since 1909, eleven men have occupied the COP's presidency:- Jaime Mauperrin Santos (1909-1912)
- António Prestes Salgueiro (1919-1923)
- José Pontes (1924-1956)
- Francisco Nobre Guedes (1957-1968)
- Alexandre Correia Leal (1969-1972)
- Gaudêncio Costa (1973-1976)
- Daniel Sales Grade (1977-1980)
- Fernando Lima BelloFernando Lima BelloFernando Lima Bello is Portugal's current and only member of the International Olympic Committee since 1989, when he ended his term at the presidency of the Olympic Committee of Portugal.Education...
(1981-1989) - José Vicente de MouraJosé Vicente de MouraJosé Vicente de Moura is the current president of the Olympic Committee of Portugal since 1997. This is his second term on this office, as he also held this position from 1990 to 1992. He was Portugal's chief of mission at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, United States, where this nation...
(1990-1992) - Vasco Lynce (1993-1996)
- José Vicente de Moura (1997-current)
Structure
The committee is composed by three social organs, namely:- Plenary Assembly
- Executive Commission
- Auditory Council
Elections for these organs occur every first trimester of the year following that of the Summer Olympic Games
Summer Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
. Every term (except those of the IOC members) has a duration correspondent to an Olympiad
Olympiad
An Olympiad is a period of four years, associated with the Olympic Games of Classical Greece. In the Hellenistic period, beginning with Ephorus, Olympiads were used as calendar epoch....
, that is, 4 years. The current social organs were elected on March 11, 2005, for the XXIX Olympiad
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
period (January 1, 2008 – December 31, 2012).
There are six other entities bound to the COP, that were created within the committee. These comprise the Portuguese Olympic Academy (AOP), the Olympic Athletes Commission, and four other advisory commissions
Committee
A committee is a type of small deliberative assembly that is usually intended to remain subordinate to another, larger deliberative assembly—which when organized so that action on committee requires a vote by all its entitled members, is called the "Committee of the Whole"...
:
- Juridical Commission
- Medical Commission
- Multi-disciplinary Commission
- Olympic Preparation Supporting Department (Departamento de Apoio à Preparação Olímpica - DAPO)
Plenary Assembly
This organ contains all the institution's power and it is headed by the COP president. The elements which constitute the Assembly are:| Ordinary Members | |Elements |
|---|---|
| Sports federations | 2 per federation§ |
| Olympic Athletes Commission | 2§ |
| Portuguese IOC member(s) | 1 (or more) |
| Extraordinary Members | Elements |
| Education and disability Disability A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped... -related sports organisms |
1 |
| Multi-sport, cultural and scientific entities which contribute to COP's objectives | |
| § - one element being the president or its representative | |
Executive Commission
The members which compose this social organ are:- President – José Vicente de Moura
- Vice-Presidents:
- Mário Rui Tavares Saldanha
- Artur Manuel Moreira Lopes
- Manuel da Silva Brito
- Carlos Alberto de Sousa Lopes
- Vicente Henrique Gonçalves de Araújo
- Secretary General – Manuel José Marques da Silva
- BursarBursarA bursar is a senior professional financial administrator in a school or university.Billing of student tuition accounts are the responsibility of the Office of the Bursar. This involves sending bills and making payment plans with the ultimate goal of getting the student accounts paid off...
– João José Areias Barbosa Matos - Vogals:
- Mário Miguel Oliveira Marques dos Santos
- Sandra Sofia Valente Monteiro
- António Nogueira Lopes Aleixo
- José Pedro Sarmento Rebocho Lopes
- Maria Angélica Esteves Salgado Paula Santos
- Paulo José Frischknecht
- José Luís Moreira Ferreira
- Olympic Athletes Commission President – Nuno Barreto
- Olympic Academy President – Sílvio Rafael
- IOC Member – Fernando Lima Bello
Auditory Council
The members which compose this social organ are:- President – António Magalhães Barros Feu
- Secretary – Pedro José Araújo de Sousa Ribeiro
- Report-maker – Florindo Baptista Morais
- Mandatary – Alberto Rodrigues Coelho
Funding
As a non-profit organisation, the COP's financial resources have their origin on donationDonation
A donation is a gift given by physical or legal persons, typically for charitable purposes and/or to benefit a cause. A donation may take various forms, including cash, services, new or used goods including clothing, toys, food, and vehicles...
s and extended financial support from private and public entities. These resources are constituted by:
- membership feeFeeA fee is the price one pays as remuneration for services. Fees usually allow for overhead, wages, costs, and markup.Traditionally, professionals in Great Britain received a fee in contradistinction to a payment, salary, or wage, and would often use guineas rather than pounds as units of account...
s; - state (or other national public institutions), IOC and EOC subsidies;
- sponsor and marketingMarketingMarketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
contracts' revenue; - inheritances and donations;
- private subsidies and financial support, and
- income from the issue of commemorative stamps and coins.
Objectives
According to the statutes approved on the Plenary Assembly of May 7, 1998, the COP's main objectives are:- Spread, develop and defend the Olympic Movement and sports in general, in compliance with the Olympic CharterOlympic CharterThe Olympic Charter, last updated March 21, 1992, is a set of rules and guidelines for the organization of the Olympic Games, and for governing the Olympic Movement. Adopted by International Olympic Committee , it is the codification of the Fundamental Principles, Rules and By-laws. French and...
; - Promote taste for sports as a character-building, health-strengthening, environment-defending and social integration-promoting means;
- Fight against forbidden methods and substancesDoping (sport)The use of performance-enhancing drugs in sport is commonly referred to by the term "doping", particularly by those organizations that regulate competitions. The use of performance enhancing drugs is mostly done to improve athletic performance. This is why many sports ban the use of performance...
use, observing the IOC Medical Code regulations and cooperating with national authorities in the control of those practices; - Promote the keeping of sporting ethics on competitions and agents relations;
- Take measures regarding the elimination of any sort of discrimination by sexual, race or religious reasons in the practice of sport and in the managing bodies;
- Participate compulsorily at the Olympic Games and organise and manage exclusively the national delegation, being responsible for the actions and behaviours of its members;
- Assign the candidate city to organise the Olympic Games and assure their accomplishment, when they take place on national territory;
- Represent the national sports federations close to the government and official organisms, on the matters of their attributions;
- Promote the spread of Olympism values in sport and physical education teaching programmes at school and university establishments;
- Stimulate and support the training of sports agents;
- Support the activities of the Olympic Academy, Olympic MuseumOlympic MuseumThe Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland houses permanent and temporary exhibits relating to sport and the Olympic movement. With more than 10,000 pieces, the museum is the largest archive of Olympic Games in the world and one of Lausanne's prime tourist draws attracting more than 250,000...
or any other Olympic education and cultural program-devoted institutions related with the Olympic Movement; - Cooperate with governmental and non-governmental organisms on any sporting activities which do not contradict the Olympic Charter;
- Coordinate the Olympic preparation programs with the federations;
- Participate with public or private entities in funding acquisition and management, to support Olympic preparation and competition-developing programs, directly or through adequate organisms;
- Support the institutionalization of the Court of Arbitration for SportCourt of Arbitration for SportThe Court of Arbitration for Sport is an international arbitration body set up to settle disputes related to sport. Its headquarters are in Lausanne and its courts are located in New York, Sydney and Lausanne, Switzerland...
.
Sports federations
In 1925, members from seven national sports federations were invited to become part of the COP's "Technical Council". This act was the first formal relationship between sports federations and a NOC, which would be considered a compulsory action by the IOC, in 1957.Currently there are 64 sports federations linked to the COP as ordinary members, of which 30 comprise Olympic sports (such as athletics
Athletics (track and field)
Athletics is an exclusive collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking. The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross country running, and race walking...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, fencing
Fencing
Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
, judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
, skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
, swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
or wrestling
Amateur wrestling
Amateur wrestling is the most widespread form of sport wrestling. There are two international wrestling styles performed in the Olympic Games under the supervision of FILA : Greco-Roman and freestyle. Freestyle is possibly derived from the English Lancashire style...
) and 34 supervise non-Olympic sports (such as autosport
Autosport
Autosport is a weekly magazine covering motorsport, published in the United Kingdom every Thursday by Haymarket Consumer Media. It was first published on 25 August 1950 by Gregor Grant, immediately prior to the Silverstone International Trophy meeting of that year...
, chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, roller skating
Roller skating
Roller skating is the traveling on smooth surfaces with roller skates. It is a form of recreation as well as a sport, and can also be a form of transportation. Skates generally come in two basic varieties: quad roller skates and inline skates or blades, though some have experimented with a...
or surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
).
Awards and decorations
COP has been distinguished throughout its history by both the IOC and the Portuguese government:- 1968 – Diploma de Mérito Olímpico (Olympic Merit Diploma) – handed to ceasing COP president Francisco Nobre Guedes by the IOC president Avery Brundage; Troféu Molhasses Tear (Molhasses Tear Trophee)– handed to COP member Rodrigo Castro Pereira by the IOC;
- 1984 – Medalha de Mérito Desportivo (Sporting Merit Medal) – handed to the COP banner by Portuguese prime-minister Mário SoaresMário SoaresMário Alberto Nobre Lopes Soares, GColTE, GCC, GColL, KE , Portuguese politician, served as Prime Minister of Portugal from 1976 to 1978 and from 1983 to 1985, and subsequently as the 17th President of Portugal from 1986 to 1996.-Family:...
; - 1989 – Colar de Honra ao Mérito Desportivo (Honour for Sporting Merit Collar) - handed to the Portuguese IOC member Raul Pereira de Castro by Portuguese education minister Roberto Carneiro;
- 1991 – Medalha de Honra ao Mérito Desportivo (Honour for Sporting Merit Medal) – handed by Portuguese education minister Roberto Carneiro to the COP, during its 82nd anniversary;
- 1999 – Colar de Honra ao Mérito Desportivo – handed by the Portuguese government to the COP at the latter's 90th anniversary gala dinner, which was attended by current IOC president Jacques RoggeJacques RoggeJacques Rogge, Count Rogge , is a Belgian sports bureaucrat. He is the eighth and current President of the International Olympic Committee .-Life and career:...
.
It is also COP's function to distinguish national competitors and sports-related organisations for their contribution to Portuguese sport both internally and internationally. The Olympic Medal Nobre Guedes
Olympic Medal Nobre Guedes
The Olympic Medal Nobre Guedes is the most prestigious annual award given by the Olympic Committee of Portugal to still-active Portuguese sportspeople which stood out for their sporting results and achievements in the previous year...
is COP's most prestigious award for still-active Portuguese sportspeople, having been given every year since 1951.