It is a step forward for the rehabilitation of the Estádio Nacional do Jamor. This Friday, the Portuguese football, athletics and rugby federations signed a protocol with the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and the municipality of Oeiras, to open a competition for a new architectural project for the stadium, which is almost 80 years old. history.
“I remember an athletics competition that was held here on a Saturday and the race was interrupted by young militants from a far-left party who were being persecuted by COPCON. [o Comando Operacional do Continente, criado pelo Movimento das Forças Armadas], to the shots. The starting shots were confusing [da prova de atletismo] with the shots that persecuted the young people.” The episode, recalled by Jorge Vieira, president of the Portuguese Athletics Federation, took place on Post-April 25, the stadium that, for many years, had the only athletics track in all the country.
Considered, by many, as one of the great works of the fascist regime, the National Stadium, however, has been losing value over the decades.
“This stadium no longer has the conditions to host certain international competitions. And it is a pity that it does not have them,” laments the prime minister, noting that it is “the promotion of sport” and the “competitiveness” of the country -what, In the opinion of António Costa, “it has demonstrated its excellent ability to organize the most diverse events” – which are affected.
The head of government argues that this large space cannot be just an “archaeological memory site”, but that it must be put to use and at the service of different modalities.
“Fortunately, we are no longer just a football country. In September, our team will be in France fighting in the rugby world championship; athletics has already given us the greatest Olympic joys we have had so far”, highlights António Costa. , sure that the same will happen with “other sports, in the future”. “But for that you have to create conditions,” he warns.
And that is why the Athletics, Rugby and Soccer federations have come together and will bear the costs of the ideas competition for the new architectural project of the National Stadium. However, the municipality of Oeiras, which cooperates in the protocol, is not so sure that it will not be asked to pay something.
“The Government or other institutions, when they invite us, it is usually to ask us for money,” shot the mayor of the municipality, Isaltino Morais, during the protocol signing ceremony. “In this case, the numbers are not yet quantified, but also, on this issue, I want to say that, obviously, we will align ourselves with the others, because we know that, in reality, this sports complex is national, but it is here in Oeiras” .
Once the competition has been launched by the federations, the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth will evaluate the competing proposals. The winner will then be able to breathe new life into the stadium which, the prime minister admits, has “allowed itself to degrade” but remains Jamor’s “crown jewel”.
Source: TSF
