The delegations that will represent Colombia in the World Games and the Bolivarian Junior pose with Patricia Duque, Minister of Sports, and Ciro Solano, president of the Colombian Olympic Committee.
Photo: Ministry of Sports
Summary and Fast Informame
Listen to this article
Audio generated with Google
In recent days, Colombian sport figures have turned on the alarms before the strong budget cut facing the Ministry of Sports. By 2025, the portfolio went from having 1.3 billion pesos to only 400 billion. The drastic reduction directly hit the preparation of athletes in the middle of the Olympic cycle.
High level athletes expressed their concerns regarding the cut of resources assigned to this sector in the last week. They ask the National Government to reconsider their budget decisions so as not to compromise the future of the country's athletes.
One of the most forceful messages came from the Nortesantandeano Ángel Barajas gymnast, a silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, who spoke directly to Gustavo Petro, president of the Republic.
Help 💔! Ángel Barajas speaks for all Colombian sport asking for help after the continuous cut to the budget, and the low quota designated 2026.
Please 🙌🏻, don't leave our athletes's dreams behind! pic.twitter.com/dNqieWXrQI
– Colombian sport 🇨🇴 (@Dortcolombia) July 25, 2025
“We need a sufficient budget to have a very good preparation, have quality competitions and maintain the illusion of Colombians”, Barajas commented, who needs support for the cycle towards the just of Los Angeles 2028. “President, I hope he does not fail me and does not fail Colombian sport“He added.
The former Rigoberto Urán, Olympic medalist in London 2012, also pronounced. “We are living a very big crisis in our sport. I was a athlete thanks to all the support I received from the national government, the departmental governments and many institutions, ”denounced the Antioquia.
Rigo was emphatic in highlighting the transforming effect that sport has on young generations and invited the executive branch to invest more: “We are in full Olympic cycle and more resources are needed so that these athletes can continue to raise”.
Robert Farah, extendist and Wimbledon champion in 2019, warned that the impact of the cut will not be immediate, but devastating in the medium term: “If this continues like this, it will be seen in the 2032 Olympic Games. The leagues and federations will have fewer working ways”.
To the concern, voices have been added from other fronts of national sport, such as the former Fernando Panezzo, who launched an alert: “The future of sport is in serious danger”, Said the collegiate, who also questioned the management of the Ministry during the Petro government.
The sports portfolio has been headed by four officials so far from the current administration. María Isabel Urrutia, Olympic champion, was the first in office, but went out for alleged irregularities in hiring. Astrid Rodríguez, his successor, resigned after the country lost the headquarters of the Pan American Games of Barranquilla 2027.
The last minister to leave was Luz Cristina López, last February, after Petro asked the protocol resignation to his entire cabinet. His management faced criticism for low budget execution and since then the portfolio was in charge of Patricia Duque.
🚴🏻⚽🏀 The latest in sports?: Everything you should know about world sport is in the spectator
