ID: Gov’t providing better support for local athletes compared to other regions

The Sports Bureau (ID) has said the local government is supporting Macau athletes better than other regions.

Pun Weng Kun told state broadcaster TDM full-time athletes in Macau are currently receiving a personal subsidy of at least MOP10,000 per month.

If they need to leave Macau for training, the government will fully cover expenses for training, food, housing and transportation. According to the TDM report, Pun said those admitted to the training center are subsidized as to their daily food and training needs, “a support better than the support provided by other regions.”

Pun also explained that authorities will also provide subsidies of MOP1,500 per month to athletes who are not full-time or have limited training time.

The ID has previously disclosed that elite athletes are entitled to remuneration ranging from MOP1,500 to MOP25,000 per month, with the highest level received by gold medalists at World Championships or Asian Games. At the recent 31st FISU World University Games, Macau took home seven medals: one gold, three silver and three bronze.

To promote the professional development of competition sports, the government has formulated an athlete training subsidization scheme to cultivate elite athletes. The government has published its criteria for talent acquisition, under which world champion athletes and Olympic or Asian Games gold medalists will be eligible to apply for residency in Macau. Staff Reporter