The Regional Secretary for Education and Culture stressed in Vila Franca do Campo the investment of about 84 million Euros that has been made by the Regional Government in the area of sport since 2012.
 
This sum was invested in "infrastructures, promotion of sports practice, high performance sports training and also in adapted sports," said Avelino Meneses, who spoke at the opening the Mãe de Deus Recreational and Leisure Park, a ceremony he chaired on behalf of the President of the Government. 

The Regional Secretary considered that this investment had "promising results," which resulted, for example, in the increase from 38 to 53 young regional talents and from four to six high-performance athletes." 

Avelino Meneses added that "many" have contributed to this "positive evolution," namely "about a thousand coaches, 1,200 referees and 1,600 managers." 

All these investments have enabled the Azores to build “a considerable external reputation” in competitive sports, with the participation of Azorean athletes in the Olympic and Paralympic Games held in Rio de Janeiro, in 2016, emphasised the government official. 

The existence of more than 23 thousand registered athletes “make the Azores the best example in Portugal,” said Avelino Meneses. With these figures, the Region reaches “an absolute participation rate almost twice the national average." 

“The future will be even more promising,” the government official said, adding that about 75% of registered athletes belong to the training levels and the participation of female athletes in the Azores surpasses the national average. 

This means, "above all," that Azorean sport "is an activity of all and for all" and that it "provides entertainment and well-being" on a daily basis, stressed the Regional Secretary.