Pedro Sánchez receives the Olympic and Paralympic teams for the Paris 2024 Games

In an address to the athletes, Pedro Sánchez expressed "the immense pride that all citizens feel for you", because beyond what happens in the competition "nothing and no one will ever be able to take away the triumph that represents the honour of representing a great country like Spain in the Olympic Games". The president stressed that the largest delegation since Barcelona 92 will travel to Paris, with 382 athletes, 192 women and 190 men, "something that has never happened before, and it has taken 128 years, 33 Olympic Games, for half of society to take its rightful place. So congratulations to all of you, and if you will allow me, to all of you [sportswomen], for doing it, for making it possible," he remarked.

All these sportsmen and women represent "a Spain and a modern, supportive, respectful, open, tolerant democracy that promotes merit, which I believe is also very recognisable in each and every one of you, and which does not accept discrimination".

He highlighted the Administration's commitment to the achievements of the Olympic Games, "because it is no coincidence that democracy in Spain and success in sport go hand in hand", while pointing out that "until 1976 our country had won just ten medals in 12 Olympic participations", while since then it has won "a grand total of 160 medals and 687 medals in the history of the Paralympic Summer Games. The credit goes entirely to you, the sportsmen and women. But I would also like to acknowledge the drive of the Olympic Committee, of course, of the Paralympic Committee and of the administrations that have all done their bit to make us what we are today: a world reference in sport".

In this way, the government "is following the path of support opened in Barcelona in 1992, from grassroots sport to the elite sport that you represent. Today we are the only country in the entire European Union to include sport among the top ten policies of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plans", and through the Team Spain programmes almost 50 million euros have been invested in the last three years.

Pedro Sánchez added that Olympic and Paralympic athletes are "the best ambassadors Spain could have" and wished them luck in returning with "the greatest number of medals". I assure you that if you give your all, if you set an example of sportsmanship and fair play, which you will do because you are like that, we will be proud of you", and he said he was sure that "a new success story for Spanish sport" would be written.

Before the president's speech, Marta Arce, athlete of the Spanish Paralympic Committee, Fátima Gálvez, athlete of the Spanish Olympic Committee, Miguel Carballeda, president of the Spanish Paralympic Committee, and Alejandro Blanco, president of the Spanish Olympic Committee, took the floor.

Non official translation