The Municipality of Oeiras, the Portuguese Athletics Federation (FPA), the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), the Portuguese Rugby Federation (FPR), the Portuguese Institute of Youth and Sports (IPDJ) and the Directorate-General for Cultural Heritage (DGPC) signed a cooperation protocol on Friday at the revitalization and rehabilitation of the National Stadium.
According to the mayor of Oeiras, Isaltino Morais, the investment needed to get the protocol off the ground has not yet been “quantified”, but according to DN, the rehabilitation of the sports venue will cost between 30 and 40 million euros. This is the value of the first estimates and still without knowing the rehabilitation project(s), which, in the opinion of Isaltino Morais, “will democratize space”.
The signing of the protocol was just the starting point for the architectural restoration of Jamor, the usual venue for the Portuguese Cup final. To this end, a competition of ideas will be organized by the federations concerned with a view to defining the scope of the project. Who pays and how much is up to each of those involved, this is not yet certain, since in addition to making the room more comfortable – replacing the chairs, for example – it is necessary to build a new track, bathrooms from scratch, separate supporters according to the rules in force, zone of reduced mobility and easy access.
And all this without the space losing identity and historical features. So, despite the fact that the process of classifying the fence as National Heritage has been challenged by the construction company Silcoge (proceeding before the court), the DGPC is part of the protocol. A fact emphasized by Prime Minister António Costa, who not only welcomed the initiative of the three federations to “pull” the government towards this commitment, but cited the Palácio da Ajuda as an example of a work where modernity has failed history shrink.
In a ceremony with pomp and ceremony, which was also attended by the Minister of Sports, Ana Catarina Mendes, the President of the IPDJ, Vítor Pataco, and the leaders of the three federations involved, Fernando Gomes (FPF), Jorge Vieira (FPA ) and Carlos Amado da Silva (FPR), Isaltino Morais hailed the state’s commitment, recalling that the “Patron State” attitude of other previous governments ended.
Jorge Vieira spoke on behalf of the modalities troika that will bring national and international life to the track and field of Jamor: “Numerous football, athletics and rugby competitions took place here. It was also here on this track that our best champions trained. From the Portuguese sports and athletics, Carlos Lopes did practically all his preparations here before winning the Olympic athletics.”
Modernization works make it possible to dream of European endings again. Ana Catarina Mendes recalled that the 2025 Women’s Champions League Final to be held at the José Alvalade Stadium could one day be held at Jamor, the stage of the 1967 European Champion Clubs’ Cup Final (Celtic defeated Inter-Milan).
Without forgetting that the protocol takes place when the 50th anniversary of the April Revolution is celebrated, and the 80th of the inauguration of the National Stadium (June 10, 1944), the minister considered that “the rehabilitation of the National Stadium is to create a . “to restore part of the memory” of Portuguese sport.
Source: DN
