Vice-president, already proposed by the executive committee, on August 16, to succeed the late José Manuel Constantino until the elections that will take place in the first quarter of 2025, was chosen unanimously with 126 votes.
Former cycling federation president Artur Lopes was confirmed this Thursday, at a Plenary Assembly (AP) convened after the death of José Manuel Constantino, on August 11, as president of the Portuguese Olympic Committee (COP) until the end of the current team’s term.
«The plenary assembly of the Portuguese Olympic Committee voted this Thursday in favour of the vice-president of the executive committee, Artur Lopes, as president, replacing José Manuel Constantino, who died on 11 August, in accordance with paragraph 4 of article 19 of the COP Statutes», the organisation reported on its website.
26 Olympic federations voted, corresponding to 104 votes, and a further 22 organisations with the right to vote, each with one vote, all of which voted in favour 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.
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.