“Frankly, there should be stricter criteria for being received by the President of the Republic. I was the only medalist at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games not to be receivedwhich justifies that he already had that award,” he illustrated in statements to RTP.
After winning bronze at the Olympics, Fernando Pimenta was not invited along with the other medalists because he had previously received the same award: “They could have at least called to say ‘if you want to attend, you will be received, you will not have another because you already have this one'”.
“There is a duality of criteria. Frankly, I feel a little more Portuguese when I win. Today I won, Fernando Pimenta may be champion again, but he works every day and you have to appreciate sports and athletes in Portugal,” added he is ready , after winning his 133rd medal in the biggest international competitions.
The president of the Portuguese Canoe Federation, Vítor Félix, added that in addition to the reception by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the Air Force’s F16s should also accompany him, “as they did with the women’s football team” after the World Cup.
“I think that both Fernando Pimenta and a group of Portuguese sports athletes with good results, with European and world titles, deserved fair and equal recognition from the highest figure in the state,” the leader underlined.
Vítor Félix clarified that this appreciation should not only be done for “participation in the World Cup, as happened with the women’s football team, but for the results and sporting merits of the athletes this year, and just to talk about it”.
Source: DN
