Portuguese Judo Federation
The six Portuguese judokas in competition in the Judo Worlds in Budapest will compete without the Portuguese flag. At issue is a debt of almost one million euros, whose payment the legislative elections came to disturb.
The International Judo Federation (FIJ) sanctioned Portugal due to a debt of more than 800,000 euros.
As a consequence, athletes Portuguese will compete without flag at the Judo World Cup.
To Lusa, the president of the Portuguese Judo Federation (FPJ) Sérgio Pina The Portuguese Judo Federation explained on Tuesday of the suspension for one year by the international body of the sport, due to such a debt of 800,000 euros.
At various times, the International Federation notified the FPJ, which still It tried to make a symbolic payment of 50,000 euros, but an error in the bank transfer code eventually led to the most extreme decision of the instance of the world judgment.
In the disciplinary decision of FIJ to which Lusa had access, the international body details the history of the debt, which rises to 800,000 euros and encompasses the contractualization of two of the four Grand Prix that Portugal (2023 and 2024) had made, in the amount of 500.00 euros, plus a funds of 300,000 euros for the 2023 junior worlds.
In its decision, FIJ recalls that “a member federation whose adhesion fees or any other fees, ‘royalties’ or debts for the IJF or continental union to which they belong not to be paid until May 31 of each year, will not be allowed to participate in the Olympic Games, World Championships or any other event held under the auspices of JIF ”.
In the decision, the International Federation clarifies successive notices to the FPJ in relation to the amounts in debt, in February, March and April, along with the Letter sent by Sérgio Pina to the body, with the framing of financial difficulties in the National Judo.
Federation depends on state supports
The president of the FPJ explained to Fij that the Federation depends exclusively on state support, in the order of 1.2 million euros annually.
“The FPJ budget depends exclusively on state support, and the annual amount does not exceed 1.2 million euros, which are necessarily channeled to their activities, which makes it impossible for FPJ to pay its debt With JIF without extra support from state institutions, ”says the International Federation in Defense presented to him by the FPJ.
And political stability…
In the same letter, Pina recalled that hope in solving the problem was also the circumstance of legislative elections in Portugal, on May 18, that eventually made it difficult to reinforce financial support.
“This circumstance has strongly conditioned the processes Decision making and supporting sports federations, a situation we believe will be resolved soon, shortly after the elections, if not before, ”the FPJ president then told the International Federation.
Subsequently, Fij gave a deadline until May 13 to the Portuguese Federation, which, without a state support reinforcement, sought to transfer 50,000 euros. But that money didn’t enter.
Portuguese as Russians and Belarussos
Now, the Portuguese athletes – Similar to what happens already with the athletes of the Russia and Belarus – will have to to participate on the egide of FIJwith the dorsal of Fij. If there are medals and world champions, the anthem will be Fij.
They are ascertained to the Worlds, which will take place from 13 to 18 June in Budapest, the Portuguese judoks Catarina Costa, Taís Pinathe Olympic Bronze Medal in Paris 2024 Patrícia Sampaio, Miguel Gago, Otari Kvantiidze and the Olympic Bronze Medal in Tokyo 2020 Jorge Fonseca.
