In 2018, the Sports Bureau (ID) hosted a forum on sports science that featured experts from Beijing and Lisbon in an example of Macau-Portugal cooperation in the area, the bureau said.
The review was given in response to lawmaker Pereira Coutinho’s earlier written inquiry. Coutinho underlined that on Jun. 28, 2001, Macau and Portugal signed an agreement on cooperation in the sport sector. The agreement was then promulgated in Macau on Oct. 8 of the same year.
As a result, he inquired with the bureau about the implementation and progress of the agreement.
In response, the bureau recapped the aforementioned sports forum. Officially referred to as the China-Portugal Sport Science Forum 2018, the event was co-organized by the Beijing Sport University and the University of Lisbon. It saw experts in the field from both universities and representatives from the China Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA) speaking in Macau on sport science and anti-doping, among other related topics.
On the other hand, the bureau also highlighted that it has invited experts in sport science from Portugal to conduct training in Macau on an occasional basis. This has resulted in local sport circle stakeholders coming to grips with the latest trends in sport training, increasing their understanding of sport science, and improving their capabilities.
Meanwhile, Portuguese sport teams conducted pre-match or regular training in Macau on several occasions.
In the summer of 2002, the Portuguese football team was invited to Macau for pre-tournament training for the World Cup 2002 Finals. A key event in the training tour was a friendly match held in Macau between Portugal and China.
Reciprocally, the bureau highlighted, teams from Macau have also conducted several pre-match training sessions in Portugal for matches held in Europe. At the same time, the bureau emphasized that it is in constant support of the presence of the Olympic Committee of Macau, China in the General Assembly of the Association of the Portuguese Speaking Olympic Committees (ACOLOP).
Further, on sports medicine, the bureau cited the Health Bureau (SSM) stating that the SSM and its counterparts in Portugal had a consistently good relationship. Delegations have regularly been sent to one another for study tours, seminars and meetings, as well as specialist and expert training.
It was underlined that medical staff from Macau had been sent to the Sports Medicine Centre of Portugal for a year of specialist training. The staff then began working in the public hospital.
The ID pledged that Macau and Portugal would further their cooperation in the future, for example by inviting Portuguese athletes to matches or tournaments in Macau.
In another inquiry, Coutinho’s association ally Che Sai Wang asked about the use of parking spaces at the Lin Fong Sports Centre.
In response, the ID pointed out that the spaces can be temporarily occupied by users who have booked to use sports facilities at the center. It added that Lin Fong’s neighboring former Canidrome, which will be transformed into a public sports park, would see its regulations promulgated at a later date.
