Artur Lopes was confirmed today as president of the Portuguese Olympic Committee (COP) until the end of the current team’s term, at a Plenary Assembly (AP) called after the death of José Manuel Constantino, on August 11.
“The Plenary Assembly of the Portuguese Olympic Committee voted this Thursday in favor of the vice-president of the Executive Committee (EC), Artur Lopes, as president, replacing José Manuel Constantino, who died on August 11, in accordance with paragraph 4 of article 19 of the COP Statutes”, the organization reported on its website.
In this case, 26 Olympic federations voted – corresponding to 104 votes – and another 22 organizations with the right to vote – each with one vote –, all of whom voted in favor of Artur Lopes, for a total of 126 votes.
The COP recalled that the EC met on August 16 when it unanimously proposed Artur Lopes to assume the presidency until elections are held – which should take place in the first quarter of 2025 -, a decision approved today by the AP, through a secret ballot, at the COP headquarters, in Lisbon.
Proposed by the executive committee to occupy the interim position, Artur Lopes has already ruled out the possibility of running for election in the organization’s electoral act in the first quarter of 2025.
Former president of the Portuguese Cycling Federation, Artur Lopes has been vice-president of the COP for 24 years, having started his role with Vicente Moura and completed the three terms of José Manuel Constantino.
The AP also unanimously ratified the administrative decisions taken in the period between the death of José Manuel Constantino and the vote this Thursday.
José Manuel Constantino, who had presided over the Portuguese Olympic Committee since March 26, 2013, died at the age of 74, after a long illness.
He led the Olympic body in Portugal’s two best appearances at the Games, winning four medals in Tokyo2020 and Paris2024, after making his debut at Rio2016.
Previously, he chaired the Portuguese Sports Institute and the Portuguese Sports Confederation.
Author of books and published articles on sport, he was considered one of the great thinkers on the phenomenon in Portugal, something that was recognized with the titles of Doctor Honoris Causa by the University of Porto, in 2016, and by the University of Lisbon, in 2023.
In the French capital, Portugal achieved its best Olympic performance ever, winning gold in the madison, with Rui Oliveira and Iúri Leitão, who also won silver in the omnium, both in track cycling, Pedro Pichardo won silver in the triple jump and Patrícia Sampaio won bronze in judo.
