The Ministry of Sports will grant new state aid of about 100 million denars, which will be intended for the support of women’s sports and for the support of young talents in individual sports, Minister Borko Ristovski announced in yesterday’s guest appearance on Sitel TV’s Dnevnik.
– In addition to the 550 million denars that are awarded as subsidies, already in December there will be new state aid for sports of about 100 million denars, which we decided to distribute a little differently. About 50 percent of that money will go to the development of women’s sports, which is a huge step because there was no such thing in the past. We want to bring the level of women’s sport closer to the level of men’s sport. If in the past 19 percent went to women’s sports, now we will raise that level to 25 percent. That may not sound like much, but it’s a significant step forward. We want to reach an acceptable number where men’s and women’s sports will be equal – pointed out Ristovski.
The other part of the funds will be intended for the support of young talents in individual sports, from which, in the short and medium term, improvement of the results is expected, and in the long term, Olympic norms.
– In the distribution of funds in December, we will also support young talents in individual sports, all those who need program funding. Through the federations, they will submit a program and work plan in the coming year, with specific numbers and with specific results that they will have to achieve if they receive that help and will be fully financed by the Ministry of Sports. It is another step plus to see success in individual sports again, because as things stood so far, these athletes had almost no help from the state, except for the basic help they receive from their home federations, which is too little if you want to succeed at the Olympic Games, at the World or European Championships. The Ministry of Sports will invest a large amount of funds in individual sports as well. I think that in the short and medium term we will see an improvement in results. And what is even more important, in the long term, Macedonia will have to finally choose a norm for the Olympic Games, and not just be a wild card performance – emphasized Minister Borko Ristovski.
