Olympic champion José Torres criticizes Argentine sports funding

Olympic BMX freestyle gold medalist José ‘Maligno’ Torres has criticized the Argentine government for the lack of financial support for high-performance athletes. Torres expressed disappointment with the administration of President Javier Milei, noting that despite having voted for him in hopes of change, the current level of state support for sports has declined.

Torres highlighted issues regarding the National High Performance Sports Entity (ENARD), stating that while it receives private funding, state support has diminished. He also pointed out that current scholarships are insufficient for athletes to dedicate themselves exclusively to their disciplines. He noted that even Pan American Games podium finishers receive significantly higher stipends than his current Olympic gold medal earnings.

Additionally, the athlete called for improved infrastructure, specifically requesting more urban sports parks across Argentina to help develop talent from various regions of the country.