The
Olympic Committee of Portugal (; ;
acronym: COP) 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).
History
Portugal had an official representative (
António de Lencastre) at the IOC, since 9 June 1906, whose proposal came directly from
King Carlos I himself, a known sports-lover. Nevertheless, the country lacked a proper organisation that would handle exclusively with the......
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