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The Colombian Olympic and Paralympic Committees are to hold a protest in Bogotá in response to President Gustavo Petro’s cuts to the sports budget. The funding cuts directly affect the development of high-performance athletes.
“The Colombian Committees express their concern about the reduction in the sports budget in 2026; therefore, on Monday, September 1st, starting at 9:00 a.m., a national rally will be held in Plaza de Bolívar in Bogotá.”
While 160 countries around the world acknowledge Labour Day on September 1, Colombia recognizes May 1 as Labour Day, so this protest is happening during regular business activity.
National federations in support
The protests are supported by many national federations, coaches, officials and Olympic and Paralympic medallists. The protesters want to send a message. The message is that the cuts jeopardize athlete preparation for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. They also put at risk training and development programs that have the opportunity to turn Colombia into a genuine sporting powerhouse in the region.
In a joint communiqué, both bodies sent a warning.
“Any budget reduction would jeopardize educational pathways. Also, high-performance programs, international participation and the projection of national talent. This will affect not only the sports system but also its social and economic impact.”
The statement underlined that sport “has proven to be a pillar of social transformation, health, inclusion, human development and national pride, as well as boosting the national economy through sports tourism, which creates jobs and positions the country as a host of major international events.”
The competitive slide
The South American nation of 52.89 million people earned four medals during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. There were three silver and one bronze.
Colombia has competed in 21 Olympic Games. There were 87 Colombian athletes in Paris. During the 2020 (2021) Tokyo Olympic Games 79 Colombians earned five medals. Four years earlier, 147 athletes earned eight medals. In London, 108 picked up nine medals.
Clearly, the direction is heading south, with a gradual attrition in competitiveness.
Colombia has a history of budget issues related to competing in international events.
There have been issues with financial transparency and commitment to major sporting events. With the last-minute establishment of an organizing committee by the previous administration for the Pan American Games. This led to doubts about government commitment.
The 2027 Pan American Games bid loss stemmed from a combination of poor financial planning, lack of transparency, and political infighting. Mismanagement by sports authorities and insufficient infrastructure development was also a root cause. These issues prevented Barranquilla from meeting contractual obligations and receiving the necessary funds.
Due to financing problems and the turbulent period of violence in Colombia, the nation did not participate in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.
Corruption at the core
Colombia’s weakness in global sports is linked to corruption in institutions.
For example, María Isabel Urrutia, an Olympic athlete and one-time sports minister, recently faced charges of approving over $1 million in fraudulent agreements. Allegedly, Urrutia bypassed public bidding and chose contractors despite regulations.
Urrutia’s case highlights a broader issue. Over 100 contracts had terms that appeared to shift funding for athletes to contractors. Facilities suffered from the lack of funding. Coaching and sport management were greatly reduced. Athletes were underfunded when preparing for global competitions, hence the declining results.
Australia, with half the population of Colombia at 27 million people, earned 53 medals during the Paris Games. The country rallied to fifth in the medal tally with 18 gold, 19 silver and 16 bronze.
France, with 68 million, took 64 medals, 16 gold, 26 silver, and 22 bronze for fourth overall in medals.
The Netherlands, with just 17 million, earned 15g, 17s and 12b for a total of 34 medals.
Canada, also in the top 10. With a population of 40 million, it was awarded 9 gold, 7 silver and 11 bronze for a total of 27 medals. Even the state of Texas, with 31 million people, picked up 58 medals in Paris for the US.
The Colombian government will have to gain control of the budgetary process and priorities. Unless this happens, the nation will not have any chance at being competitive at global championships. The time is now for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
