VALLADOLID 26 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Minister of Culture, Tourism and Sports, Gonzalo Santonja, brought this Tuesday to the Council of Ministers of Education, Youth, Culture and Sports of the EU held in Brussels the proposal of Castilla y León, agreed upon with all the communities of Spain, to include in the next strategic document on the future of sports policy in the EU maternity support policies for high-level athletes.
In his speech and as reported by the regional government through a press release collected by Europa Press, Santonja defended that sport must be present in all public policies as a “powerful instrument” to respond to the challenges faced. that Europe faces, among which he has cited the feeling of belonging, the demographic challenge, gender equality, inclusion, migration, extremism, racism, hate speech or sustainability, “among other challenges common to those that Spain is not alien.”
Santonja has defended that Spain is very aware of gender equality in sport. “In particular, we believe in maternity support policies for high-level athletes to contribute to the demographic, social, economic and cultural challenge we face in Europe,” he stated.
As reported by the Government of Castilla y León, in this meeting held under the presidency of Hungary they debated the characteristics of the European sports model with the contribution of the 27 member states. On behalf of Spain, the Minister of Culture, Tourism and Sports of Castilla y León, Gonzalo Santonja, and the Secretary of State for Sports, José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, spoke.
The Ministry has meant that this proposal is added to the measures implemented by the Board in this matter, such as the 'baby check' with aid of up to 20,000 euros to high-level athletes who have been mothers, due to pregnancy, adoption or foster care.
He also highlighted the modification of the aid granted by the Excellence Awards which, in the case of pregnant women, is based on the results obtained in the previous two years so that they do not lose their aid when they return to the competition.
And he mentioned, finally, the inclusion in this strategy of a special assessment in the distribution of subsidies to all sports entities that have sports-family conciliation plans, which help athletes in their family conciliation.
