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It is with feelings of joy and pride that I participate in tonight's event of the Cyprus Olympic Committee for the presentation of the team of athletes that will represent our country at the Olympic Games in Paris. The Olympic Games, which are the most important sporting event, which, emerging from ancient Greece and Greek culture, highlights, among many other things, the importance of sport and athletics, promotes the ideals represented by honest competition and fair play, bridges cultures and traditions and promotes the peaceful coexistence and fraternity of peoples.
All this effort began exactly 60 days ago, on 16 April 2024, when the Olympic Flame was lit on the Sacred Ground of Ancient Olympia to begin its journey to Paris, marking the start of the 2024 Olympic Games. A global event, eagerly awaited by millions of sports fans around the world. A celebration of joy for the whole planet, in which our small country, our Cyprus, is proudly present, after the persistent and painstaking effort made by our athletes, together with their coaching team and their families, who know first-hand the sacrifices, ensuring their qualification and participation in the events of their category.
Dear athletes,
Today belongs only to you. Your participation alone in this premier sporting event is enough to fill us with feelings of joy, optimism and pride. Your participation confirms the high levels to which Cypriot sport has risen in recent years. Levels that are achieved, first and foremost, thanks to your daily efforts and sacrifices, and your high performance, but also with the contribution of all the sports players and bodies and the State.
The plans and policies that we adopt to achieve the goals we have set in sport, are the result of your suggestions and proposals, and the consultation we have had, and continue to have, with all stakeholders. On the basis of your suggestions and proposals, therefore, and within the framework of our governance programme, we are promoting, among other things, the implementation of actions to use athletes as role models for the development of new talents, the formulation of lifelong exercise and mass sports programmes, the inoculation of curricula at all levels of education with the principles and values of Olympism and, of course, the adoption of policies that contribute to the provision of equal opportunities for sport.
At the same time, realising the great importance of the quality of training and sports facilities, an area where more undoubtedly needs to be done, we are promoting the upgrading and further exploitation of our sports infrastructure with the aim of strengthening the effort for mass sport, supporting championship sport, attracting international events - which we are slowly bringing to our country -, promoting sports tourism and their more effective use by organised groups. All this, undoubtedly, contributes to the upgrading of sport in our country, resulting in a stronger presence of our country in the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
It was precisely in this context that the recent decision was taken, after I had been informed about it, to allocate an additional 350 thousand euros, in addition to the established annual sponsorship, for the preparation needs of our athletes who are competing in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris.
The ultimate purpose of the decisions we take is for the State in every way to stand by your side, safeguarding your rights and assisting you in your difficult effort, so that all of you can dedicate yourselves to your athletic career and development, achieving even more achievements.
In a moment, I will hand you the flag of our Cyprus, with which you will parade at the opening ceremony of the Games. I will be there as President of the Republic of Cyprus to salute you.
I have no doubt that, representing our country, you will honour our flag and become the best ambassadors of our country through your ethos and performance. I will never forget when in 2002 to 2006 I served as Cyprus' Consul in London and Markos Pagdatis happened to be in the finals in London in 2006. And I suddenly remember, in our High Commission in London, how many phone calls we received about Markos Pagdatis. We had been trying for four years to communicate Cyprus to the British public and Markos came to London for a week and it was enough for our country to be heard and for us to feel proud. I was also on the pitch at those games for Markos, as were all the athletes.
We know in practice that you are all the best ambassadors for our country, which is why I feel a strong need as President of the Republic of Cyprus to be there to support your efforts.
I wish you every success and continue to make us proud.
(PM/MS/NYAN)
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
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