Alexis Tam pictured with the Brazilian General Coordinator of Exchange and Sports Cooperation, Vera Cíntia Álvarez
The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam, attended on Saturday the opening of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil together with a delegation of the Macau Olympic Committee, the Office of the Secretary said in a statement yesterday.
Tam met with several presidents and representatives of Olympic committees from Portuguese-speaking countries such as Brazil, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, São Tome and Principe and East Timor.
Tam also visited the Olympic Village and several sports facilities specially adapted to accommodate the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Since 2009, Macau has presided over the Association of Portuguese Speaking Olympic Committees (ACOLOP). ACOLOP currently has 700 athletes representing their countries in the Olympic Games.
Presently, the International Olympic Committee does not recognize the Sports and Olympic Committee of Macau, China –created in 2008 – as a National Olympic Committee (NOC).
However, local athletes have been allowed to join some international organizations and events such as the Asian Games, due to Macau’s international status as an autonomous territory. However, unlikely Hong Kong, this does not include participation in the Olympic Games. RM
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