Romania ranks last in the European Union for sports in general, according to the NGO Initiative for Competitiveness (Iniţiativa pentru Competitivitate – INACO) in its Wednesday press release.
The document states that a lack of sports has a direct impact on the health of the population.
“Sports builds character through the discipline of work, teamwork, ambition and open competition. Sports teaches us to lose and win, to respect the best, and to be efficient in the way we think and act. Sports combined with education can get you a scholarship to the best universities in the world “
– says the INACO statement.
According to the quoted source, from the 2021 budget of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, only RON 3.2 million (EUR 650,000) is allocated to investments. It points out that the ministry’s entire budget for this year is only RON 543 million (EUR 110 million), which is more or less equal to the “amount of a bribe in a larger corruption case.”
At the same time, about EUR 300 million National Recovery and Reform Plan is earmarked for sports for the period 2021-2026, but it also has to be taken into consideration that the amounts submitted for negotiation are “overstated” by more than 140 percent.
“Who supports sports in Romania?” – asks INACO. “Parents who can afford it. Donors, sponsor companies and non-governmental organizations. Coaches, the ‘last Mohicans’ of the golden generations, who give their souls, their time, their clothes for talented children. Those who respect the work and the performance.” – answers the communiqué calling for more support for sports. (Maszol)
Title image is an illustration (Photo: University Politehnica of Bucharest)
