The Regional Secretary for Education and Culture stated in Angra do Heroísmo that the Azorean Government is against the creation of regional sports teams to compete in international competitions "for various reasons."
 
Avelino Meneses spoke at the end of a hearing at the Committee on Social Affairs at the Legislative Assembly on a resolution recommending the Government to establish an Azorean sports teams. On the occasion, he stressed that this "initiative does not fall within the Government's responsibilities."
 
According to him, "sport is a separate entity from policy and political parties." In this regard, he considered that the "creation of a regional team should be led by regional associations belonging to national federations."
 
Avelino Meneses also anticipated that this process would face "the opposition" of many regional associations, taking into consideration their views on the matter.
 
"We are not afraid of their opposition, but some of them may be quite relevant and, thus, they have to be considered," added the government official.
 
The Regional Secretary also stressed that, nationwide, this matter will also face "opposition" to the extent that the "national consent" would always be necessary.
 
According to Avelino Meneses, some national sports federations "would have, perhaps, to abdicate from part of their international participation quotas" in order to include Azorean teams, especially in the case of individual sports. In this regard, he conveyed the belief that they "would not want to distribute their quotas with other regional teams, no matter how broad our Autonomy may be."
 
Moreover, the government official added that there are international sports federations that prevent the participation of regional teams.
 
"I do not think regional sport would further develop with the creation of Azorean sports teams to participate in international competitions, as it is developing on its own," said the Regional Secretary.
 
"We have the highest absolute participation rate of athletes belonging to sports associations - 23,000 athletes. This figure is almost double the national average. Two years ago, Azorean athletes participated in the Olympics and Paralympic Games in the sports of Football and Athletics. This means that competition is effectively progressing among us," said the government official.
 
In this context, he considered that the Azores are not dependent on the creation of these selections for the development of sports, admitting that there may even be "some setbacks."