€30 million less. Although the budget of the Ministry of Sports accounts for only 0.1% of the State’s general budget, it will undergo the most significant reduction: 6.25% in 2019, following an initial cut of 7.7% in 2018.
Since 2017, the budget of the Ministry of Sports has continuously decreased, public funding has dwindled, and local subsidies have been constrained.
Thousands of subsidized contracts have been eliminated, even though they are essential for the operation of amateur clubs and teams.
Encouraging sports means improving health, well-being, knowledge, learning, cohesion, and joy.
Yet, sports are essential to collective solidarity. They are a social investment for the future before being an expense.
They yield much more than they cost and allow for multiplying returns, both socially and economically. A recent study by the Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry (FESI) estimated that €1 invested in sports yields €5!
Cutting sports funding would mean destroying an entire unifying fabric and would lead to catastrophic consequences.
How can we promote universal, unrestricted practice for everyone? How will clubs manage to accommodate the athletes? How will we ensure that the largest number of people have access to modern and affordable facilities?
Without this, we are heading straight into a wall.
