Uribes, to the Federations: "We must generate a shared and dialogued strategy"

The president of the Higher Sports Council, José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, stated this Wednesday, within the framework of the Sports Breakfasts of Europa Press in Madrid, that the model for Spanish sports in the coming years requires a "comprehensive view", referring to the meeting he held with ADESP, which brings together a large part of the Olympic, non-Olympic, and paralympic sports federations. Soon, he will be meeting "progressively" with groups of federations "to have an overall vision in this semester."

However, he made it clear that "the model is in the law" and that they should only "implement it and design a strategy for the coming years inspired by those principles," without forgetting that the Spanish Olympic Committee (COE) "is also doing good work in this area for many years which will enrich this. We must generate a shared and dialogued strategy," he asserted.

Regarding the results of the recent 2024 Paris Olympics, he said, "there were 69 finalists, 30 fourth and fifth places, but then you have to compete. But if only ten (of the fourth or fifth places) had been podium positions, there would have been 28 medals and we would have exceeded Barcelona. We need to look at things from a perspective, analyze all the elements, see what works and what doesn't, where more effort needs to be made," he pointed out.

Uribes emphasized looking at "parameters beyond the medal," which indicate that "the situation of Spanish sports is very good. In the Games, we have been very high up because we have been very present, and there are many very good data that must be valued. Due to the sport's own demands, we must aspire for more, we surpassed Tokyo by just one medal and there is that bittersweet feeling, but it needs to be seen comprehensively," highlighted the Valencian leader.

The president of the CSD also stressed that "Spanish sports is a matter of State, a right recognized by law; an industry that creates jobs and wealth; and a set of values useful to society that protect us. Football and sports are incompatible with violence, for example. Sports must be a space for unity, cooperation, and respect for the teammate and the opponent."

Rodrigo Gil-Sabio (RFEN Aquatics Communication). Photo: José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes (President of the CSD), at the Europa Press Sports Breakfasts / © Europa Press