The future of local sportspeople may hinge on the development of sports facilities in Hengqin, according to Antonio Monteiro, president of the Macanese Youth Association (AJM), who spoke with the Times.
Questioned by the Times on the topic on the sidelines of the opening of the exhibition “Honors and Distinction – Memories of Macau Sports and Macanese Glory,” Monteiro explained that there is an undeniable fact: to develop sports and athletes, there is a need for sports facilities – something that Macau has lacked for many years.
“If we think about this, all the latest major sports infrastructures built in Macau were completed over 20 years ago, aimed at organizing the East Asian Games [in 2005],” Monteiro said, noting that since then, no large-scale sports facility has been built, nor does he see the will or space to do so.
With this lack of space in mind, Monteiro hinted at Hengqin as a potential place where local sports might have room to grow.
“Hengqin may be the solution. There is space – maybe there is also the interest to do that –but we know that there are several obstacles that need to be tackled in the integration of Macau with Hengqin,” he said, noting that there is still a significant physical and mental barrier to crossing back and forth into the neighboring area.
Furthermore, there are ongoing difficulties created by some event organizers who require Macau team athletes to hold a Macau SAR passport.
The topic, as Monteiro noted, is not simple and is not within the hands of a single side to solve; it requires a lot of diplomacy as well as political intervention.
As the Times found, in most cases, the requirement imposed by the local Sports Bureau (ID) is not just a locally upheld rule but one imposed by international federations and associations that organize sports competitions.
Caught in the turmoil are local athletes – particularly those who do not hold Chinese nationality – who feel excluded from participating in “National Teams,” which are reserved for those representing their home region, a fact that also discourages them from investing further in their training and perfecting their skills.
The exhibition highlights the accomplishments of Macanese athletes in the local and international sports scenes, bringing together athletes from different generations and sports disciplines.
Taking place at the Rui Cunha Foundation gallery, the exhibition is on display until November 22, coinciding with the Macau Grand Prix and the 15th National Games of the People’s Republic of China.
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