Conade reduces Valencia’s scholarship, despite winning a medal at the 2024 Olympic Games

Mexico City. Mexican archer Alejandra Valencia yesterday denounced that the National Commission for Physical Culture and Sport (Conade), chaired by former athlete Ana Guevara, reduced the amount of her scholarship despite having won a bronze medal in the team event at the recent Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The native of Hermosillo, Sonora, who also won a bronze medal in Tokyo 2020, in the mixed team category, together with Luis Grandfather Álvarez reported on his social networks that, when he went to do the paperwork to manage said economic benefit, he noticed the reduction.

I came to sign the documentation for my scholarship and I found out that due to the operating rules that govern Conade, they lowered my scholarship after the Olympic medal. No, thank you very much.the archery specialist posted on her X account.

On Instagram, she indicated that, despite the reduction in her incentive, she will continue to pay the salaries of her team.

Even if they reduce my scholarship, I must continue paying my physical trainer and psychologist to continue improving. And so, how?wrote.

According to the Rules of Operation of the Physical Culture and Sports Program for the fiscal year 2024, which came into effect as of January 1 of this year, athletes who win a medal in individual events at international events will receive a larger scholarship than those who win a medal in the team event.

Valencia was awarded a 46 thousand pesos monthly scholarship thanks to the silver medal she won at the 2023 Berlin World Championships; however, after the team bronze at Paris 2024 and not reaching the podium in the individual event, in which she was eliminated in the quarterfinals, her incentive will now be 36 thousand pesos per month.

The 29-year-old athlete, along with Ana Paula Vázquez and Ángela Ruiz, took bronze after defeating the Netherlands team 6-2, thus obtaining the first of the five medals (three silver and two bronze) that the Mexican delegation won in Paris 2024, and adding its second Olympic medal.

It is worth mentioning that Ana Guevara announced days before the start of the summer competition that the gold medalists would receive a financial incentive of three million pesos, while the silver medalists would be rewarded with two and the bronze medalists with one; in addition, she announced, there was a purse of about 30 million pesos that would be distributed among the athletes, which has not been discussed again.

Before winning bronze at Paris 2024, Valencia won the silver medal at the Berlin World Championships last year and received the National Sports Award, successes that were added to three gold medals won at the Pan American Games.

They reproach the measure

According to his coach, Miguel Ángel Flores, It is regrettable that despite all these successes, her student’s sports scholarship is reduced.

It is very sad to see that an athlete who has won a medal at the Olympic Games has her benefits reduced. I understood that keeping the medal implied an increase, but we still have to review what they based this decision on.he said in an interview with The Day.

It is something that impacts us and takes away our motivation, the drive that we have after having won an Olympic medal. It is very difficult because we have dedicated many years of effort, we have sacrificed so many hours, holidays, Christmas, we do not have vacations, we practice all the time, and the slightest mistake makes you adjust, which in this case was very soon.added the coach, who indicated that surely will also have a reduction in their incentive.

He considered that It took a meeting to analyse the results to make such an immediate decision. The Paralympic Games have not even started and they are already carrying out these actions. It is something that is really demotivating and affects us emotionally and mentally. We understand that there are rules of operation of Conade and we have to review them carefully to know how we can solve this situation..

In Paris 2024 We compete against countries that have a very well-defined structure. We face not only one athlete, but an entire sports system, as is the case of South Korea, which has professional leagues, support from private companies, the government has first-class facilities in each municipality for people to practice, and not only in archery, but also in other disciplines, and we compete against them toe to toe, and that is something very valuable for Mexican athletes and coaches.he said.

For its part, Conade detailed yesterday in a press release that Valencia She is the athlete with the most support received of the entire national delegation that participated in Paris 2024, and that from January 2019 to July of this year was awarded In support of scholarships, awards and incentives a total of 7 million 901 thousand 787 pesos.

The archer has perceived If it had to be averaged, support equivalent to 4,147.76 pesos per day from the Government of Mexico o an average of 124 thousand 432.82 pesos per month.

It is increased to other athletes

The document also indicates that the archers Angela Ruiz and Ana Paula Vazquez by improving their performance and positions in Paris 2024 They will receive an increase in their scholarships from 20 to 36 thousand pesos per month.

This controversy adds to the conflicts that CONADE has had with various divers and the artistic swimming team, from whom it has completely withdrawn their scholarships.