Last week Pedro Antonio Sánchez, president of the Region of Murcia- along with Noelia Arroyo, Spokesperson and Minister of Culture and Alonso Gómez, General Director of Sports- presented grants to athletes in the Region of Murcia.
These grants, an invaluable help for elite athletes who spread the name of Murcia as well as other towns all over the world, return again after being frozen in 2011.
Sport is an area where the end result is achieved by the athlete, but that result depends largely on the work of his team and help from many people and organisations around him. Public institutions play a fundamental part in this. Political leaders` support is also vital, whether it be to federations, clubs and of course, athletes.
High-level sport has experienced a process of globalization in recent years. Most sports have leagues or competitions at a European or world level. These competitions in most cases help athletes to achieve a specific ranking in what is the benchmark for that season – European Championship, World Championship or Olympic and Paralympic Games. Athletes can also have the option of qualifying for these competitions. These leagues bring together the top specialists of the sport making it attractive both for the public – because they can enjoy watching top athletes , live – and for the athletes themselves – to be able to measure themselves against those who will be their main rivals internationally in the relevant competition that season.
This process of globalization means that the costs of practicing elite sport are increasingly rising – equipment, travel, airline tickets, hotels, food, coach, physiotherapist and many other expenses that, form part of our everyday lives. This is why it is absolutely essential the support of public institutions through the provision of grants.
Alonso Gomez, Director General of Sports, has played a key role in achieving the return of these grants. He is a person who has sport in his blood and who has personally experienced what elite support is all about – he was a soccer referee in the first division. From the very first moment he became Director General he has fought for the best possible conditions for sportsmen and women in Murcia. And he has had to do this in an uncertain economic climate which has been beset with many problems such as unexpected drops in budget. These problems are beyond his control and have affected the development of his work. However after a series of drawbacks, he has been able to overcome them and now athletes can enjoy the return of our well-deserved grants. Grants that, by looking after its beneficiaries, have demonstrated again that sport in Murcia enjoys an enviable health. A successful present and a future that promises great things for our athletes.