São Tomé and Príncipe NOC News
16 June 2026 - Find here the latest news from the National Olympic Committee: events, courses, general assemblies and elections, trophies and much more.
16 June 2026 - “Promoting the construction, restoration and improvement of existing sports infrastructure in the country, strengthening technical and specialised support for athletes, ensuring better conditions for preparation and participation in national and international competitions, and maintaining and reinforcing the State’s active role in the development of national sport” – these are some of the recommendations resulting from the first National Athletes’ Forum, held in early June at the amphitheatre of the Public University of São Tomé and Príncipe. This initiative was led by the NOC Athletes’ Commission and the NOC itself. During the Forum, the need also emerged to increase investment in the sports sector; promote the upskilling of staff; strengthen mechanisms for athlete representation; improve communication systems and support for professionals; and foster a culture of integrity, transparency and accountability in sport. The Forum was broadcast online in order to enable athletes based abroad to take part. The Forum has been financed through the Olympic Solidarity programme entitled “NOC Athletes’ Commission support”.
27 April 2026 - More than 20 students and physical education teachers from all over the country recently got the chance to improve their judo skills in a four-day coach-training judo course. This initiative, run by Judo Global and the NOC, came in response to the growth of this sport in the country. NOC Secretary General Laureano Soares was present at the start of the course. For his part, NOC President João Costa Alegre attended the ceremony to inaugurate the new Cape Verde NOC headquarters in Praia, as First Vice-President of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA).
31 July 2025 - The NOC has sent a delegation to compete in the 1st African School Games, taking place from 26 July to 5 August across four cities in Algeria: Annaba, Constantine, Sétif, and Skikda. NOC President João Costa Alegre welcomed the team and talked to the athletes and their coaches. A joint initiative by the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) and the International School Sport Federation (ISF), these Games have brought together 1,700 young athletes from 47 African countries. More details here on the ANOCA website.
15 July 2025 - As part of the Olympic Day celebrations, students from the 12 de Julho primary school recently visited the NOC. Organised by the Olympic Academy in partnership with the NOC, this visit saw the children learn about the NOC and its activities and participate in a drawing competition. Various other events took place, including athletics, cycling and a flash futsal tournament. In addition, the third edition of O! Yes Day was celebrated throughout the country. This initiative is led by the Folha Fede Olympic Centre and supported by the NOC. On this occasion, various sports practised at the centre were showcased during a sports festival.
07 May 2025 - The NOC has reported us that Gorete Semedo and Celma Bonfim, members of its Athletes’ Commission, took part in the 5th Continental Athletes’ Forum in April in Namibia. NOC President João Manuel Da Costa Alegre Afonso represented the institution at the General Assembly of the Association of Portuguese-speaking National Olympic Committees (ACOLOP) and the Olympic Portuguese-speaking Congress held recently in Cabo Verde. A few weeks beforehand, the NOC President, in their capacity as First Vice-President of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), had signed a cooperation agreement with the Secretary General of the World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF), Volker Bernardi, at the ANOCA General Assembly in Algeria.
20 November 2023 - The NOC has organised its first activity as part of its "Desporto para tod@s" (Sport for All) programme. The aim of this programme, supported by Olympic Solidarity, is to visit schools and hold talks and activities to raise awareness of discrimination against women and people with disabilities, and to promote Paralympic and women's sport. The NOC has already been able to see the impact of this programme, with the participation of a young girl with a physical disability, who went to the stadium to do athletics after the organisation of this first event.
23 November 2020 - The NOC of São Tomé and Príncipe has been working in close collaboration with the National Surfing Federation and the country’s Surfing Academy to give girls between the ages of 6 and 18 the opportunity to practise the sport. The primary goal of the project is to introduce the sport to underprivileged girls as a way for them to spend their free time, and to make them more autonomous. The NOC will take care of both the transport to take them to training and internet access to facilitate contact with parents, and will also cover the costs related to coaches. The project, called SOMA (Surfers Proud of Africa’s Women), aims to use surfing to develop girls’ self-esteem and resilience and help them step out of their comfort zones. More info at www.comiteolimpicostp.com.
16 November 2020 - The new headquarters of the NOC of São Tomé and Príncipe was inaugurated on 3 November by the country’s Prime Minister, Jorge Bom Jesus. Also in attendance were the Ministers for Youth and Sport, Tourism, Culture and Labour, representatives of the United Nations Development Programme and UNICEF, and the Mayor of the Água Grande district. The refurbishment work was funded by the government, through the Ministry of Youth and Sport and the NOC. The new building will be called the Palacio da Juventude e Desporto (literally Youth and Sports Palace) and will house the NOC, the Directorate General for Sport and the Youth Institute. A designated room fully equipped with computers with internet access was also inaugurated and will be made available to national federations that do not yet have their own headquarters. More info at www.comiteolimpicostp.com.
10 July 2020 - Given the current situation, the São Tomé and Príncipe Olympic Committee resorted to other types of activity to commemorate Olympic Day. More than 500 baskets were given to athletes and coaches in need. The central act of the Day was in the Folha Fede Olympafrica Centre, where the children planted around 100 fruit trees, thus associating the day with the preservation of the environment. Among those present were NOC President João Costa Alegre, Prime Minister Jorge Bom Jesus and the members of the NOC. Radio contests were also organised on the two main radio stations as well as a debate on national TV, in which Olympism and the values of sport in society were debated. More info at www.comiteolimpicostp.com
07 February 2020 - The President of the NOC of São Tomé and Príncipe, João Manuel Da Costa Alegre Afonso (photo), has been appointed as Special Adviser to the Prime Minister for sport. This appointment takes into account his career and experience in sport in the country and the collaborative partnership between the government and the NOC. Info at www.comiteolimpicostp.com.
04 November 2019 - As part of a cooperation agreement signed with the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Entrepreneurship (photo), the NOC of São Tomé and Príncipe has undertaken to finance part of the renovation work on the building which houses its headquarters and the Youth Institute. The agreement was signed at the NOC headquarters on 23 October, and afterwards the representatives of both parties laid the first stone of the new building. Then, on 29 October, NOC President João Manuel da Costa Alegre Afonso signed an agreement with the national federations of athletics, canoe-kayak, taekwondo, chess, cycling, handball, volleyball, karate, gymnastics and university sports. The aim of this agreement is to provide financial support for the implementation of a sports development programme. More details on www.comiteolimpicostp.com.