Samaranch insta a los líderes de la UE a invertir en deporte para "salvar vidas" 
Juan Antonio Smaranch
Por Gustavo Muñana martes, 24 de septiembre de 2024
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| The International Conference of Sport Leaders in Budapest. X |
Samaranch señaló que el deporte y la actividad física son las soluciones más sencillas y rentables para mejorar la salud general de las personas. Citando cifras que muestran que el deporte representa solo el 3% del presupuesto de salud de Europa, de 2 billones de euros, argumentó que aumentar esta inversión podría generar ahorros significativos. "Si cada europeo cumpliera con el estándar mínimo de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) de 150 minutos de actividad física por semana, podríamos ahorrar entre un 7 y un 10% de los costos de atención médica, lo que se traduce en 140-200 mil millones de euros anuales", explicó Samaranch. Los beneficios, dijo, van mucho más allá del ahorro financiero. "No se trata solo de dinero: se trata de ciudadanos más saludables, felices y productivos. El deporte literalmente salva vidas", dijo, enfatizando los beneficios sociales más amplios de invertir en actividad física. Samaranch instó a los gobiernos europeos a cambiar la forma en que ven la financiación del deporte y lo ven como un componente esencial de la atención sanitaria preventiva. "La prevención es mucho más rentable que el tratamiento. “Invertir en deporte y ejercicio físico reduce las enfermedades y los costes sanitarios; como banquero, eso es lo que llamo una inversión que paga dividendos en vidas humanas”, afirmó. En sus comentarios, Samaranch también reflexionó sobre el poder social más amplio del deporte, destacando su capacidad única para unir a las personas en una época de división global. “El deporte, de forma única entre todos los esfuerzos humanos, tiene el poder de mejorar nuestro mundo. Pero no podemos darlo por sentado”, afirmó. Subrayó que los valores olímpicos de excelencia, respeto y amistad son esenciales para construir vínculos más fuertes dentro de las sociedades. “El mundo se tambalea bajo una avalancha de tribalismo político, comercial y cultural. Ahora, más que nunca, necesitamos el respeto mutuo y la fuerza unificadora del deporte para superar estas divisiones”, concluyó.
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Samaranch urges EU leaders to invest in sport to "save lives"
- Tuesday, 24 September 2024
Juan Antonio Samaranch, Vice-President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has called on the leaders of the European Union to significantly increase their investment in sport, stressing its crucial role in improving public health and reducing healthcare costs.
Spain's Juan Antonio Samaranch is one of seven candidates standing for election as President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in March 2025. Speaking at the International Conference of Sports Leaders, held under Hungary's EU 2024 Presidency, Samaranch made a compelling case for sport funding to be seen as an investment in public health rather than a leisure expense.
In his speech, Samaranch outlined the serious health challenges facing Europe today, including sedentary lifestyles, poor nutrition, rising levels of chronic disease and increasing social isolation. “We are living in an era where inactivity and poor health choices are spiraling out of control, and it’s directly impacting the sustainability of our healthcare systems,” he stated. “Monies dedicated to sport should not be viewed as an expense by national governments; they should be seen as an investment in the health and well-being of our fellow citizens.”
He highlighted the increasing pressure on Europe's healthcare systems as populations age rapidly and birth rates fall, leading to an imbalance between the working population and those in need of care. "This is not sustainable," said Samaranch. "The way we are living is detrimental not only to our personal health but to the economic health of our nations."
Samaranch pointed to sport and physical activity as the simplest and most cost-effective solutions for improving people's overall health. Citing figures showing that sport accounts for just 3% of Europe's €2 trillion health budget, he argued that increasing this investment could lead to significant cost savings. “If every European met the World Health Organization's (WHO) minimum standard of 150 minutes of physical activity per week, we could save between 7-10% of healthcare costs, which translates to €140-200 billion annually,” Samaranch explained.
The benefits, he said, go far beyond financial savings. "It's not just about money - it's about healthier, happier and more productive citizens. Sport literally saves lives," he said, emphasising the wider social benefits of investing in physical activity.
Samaranch urged European governments to change the way they view the funding of sport and to see it as an essential component of preventive health care.. “Prevention is much more cost-efficient than treatment. Investing in sport and physical exercise reduces illness and healthcare costs – as a banker, that’s what I call an investment that pays dividends in human lives,” he said.
In his remarks, Samaranch also reflected on the wider social power of sport, noting its unique ability to unite people at a time of global division. "Sport, uniquely among all human efforts, has the power to improve our world. But we cannot take this for granted," he said. He underlined how the Olympic values of excellence, respect and friendship are essential to building stronger bonds within societies. “The world is reeling under an avalanche of political, commercial, and cultural tribalism. Now, more than ever, we need mutual respect and the unifying force of sport to overcome these divisions,” he concluded.
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