President Klaus Iohannis declared on Wednesday, at the ceremony of decorating the medal-winning sportspeople at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, that it is essential for sport to find its „well-deserved place” at the top of national priorities.

He emphasized that the medals won by Romanian performers at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris are „the symbol of the regeneration of Romanian sport”.

The head of state addressed the sportspeople and their coaches, whom he decorated.

„You represent true role models for today’s and tomorrow’s generations and give young people the confidence that any goal can be achieved through work, dedication and devotion. At the same time, your messages must be heard and understood by those who have the responsibility to support and promote, in all forms, Romanian sport, so that all athletes benefit from the necessary help to perform. As I have constantly said during my terms as president, it is essential for sport to find its well-deserved place at the top of national priorities”, Iohannis said at the Cotroceni Palace.

He praised the efforts of the Romanian sportspeople and the fact that their awards united the citizens who supported them.

„You have reaffirmed the excellence of the schools in the disciplines you represent and have demonstrated that, through sustained work and perseverance, performance at the highest level is possible. You have succeeded in uniting the hearts of Romanians everywhere and have demonstrated that sport transcends any barrier”, President Iohannis pointed out.

He said that, while for the athletes the medals represented the fulfillment of an objective, for Romanian society these awards were „the symbol of the regeneration of Romanian sport, part of our national fiber”.

The head of state stated that „a new page” of history was written in Paris for Romanian sports.

„In this way, the champions of yesterday, today and tomorrow connect the history of Romanian sports through a symbolic arch beyond time, which shows that our country has a huge potential that must be exploited”, added the head of state.

The president pointed out that in Cotroceni, on Wednesday, the remarkable successes achieved by the athletes, the contribution of the coaches and the assiduous involvement of those who supported the sporting delegations and who manage the Romanian Olympic Mission were celebrated.

AGERPRES