"I believe it is a good decision. And, for Pedro Dias, I will break an institutional rule that the COP has, which is not to comment on the names of the government, restricting myself to comments on the policies and guidelines. Because, in the case of Pedro Dias, I cannot escape the situation", José Manuel Constantino began by saying, a day after the current member of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) since 2011 was appointed.

Pedro Dias will succeed João Paulo Correia in the State Secretariat, with the sector remaining under the scope of Parliamentary Affairs, and of minister Pedro Duarte, as happened in the most recent socialist Government, with Ana Catarina Mendes, after having been under the tutelage of Education, with Tiago Brandão Rodrigues.

"On an institutional and personal level, naturally, we received this designation with satisfaction. Pedro Dias is a member of the COP Executive Committee and, therefore, worked with us for several years, which means, naturally, that this designation does not leave us indifferent", he admitted.

José Manuel Constantino's expectation is fuelled by Pedro Dias's experience in the sector, which may "accelerate" the beginning of his duties.

"Pedro has exceptional human characteristics, high technical skills and, hopefully, will have the conditions, from a political point of view, to exercise these new duties. Naturally, part of these conditions will not depend on him or the minister, but he hopes it will be favourable for introducing improvements in our sports system", he detailed.

For Constantino, Pedro Dias will have the advantage of being present in the environment, unlike his predecessors.

"I believe that, in recent years - and it puts me in a delicate situation to mention names -, there was, in fact, a group of office holders who had to have a longer learning period in relation to the tasks they assumed. Perhaps, the only exception was Laurentino Dias, who was a person who was well identified with the problems of the sports system", he recalled.

Hence, the distinction of the new government official, who had academic training at the University of Beira Interior and the University of Minho and presided over the Academic Federation of University Sports (FADU) between 1993 and 1995.

"In recent years, I cannot recall another situation of a person for the exercise of these duties who can be said to have knowledge, identification and experience to the extent that Pedro Dias has, in relation to the sports system. Therefore, I believe that, in this matter, it is an advantage from the outset. We will wait to see if this advantage has a translation, then from the point of view of the political solutions that are found throughout his mandate", he concluded.

The inauguration of the State Secretaries is scheduled for today, at 6 pm, at the Palácio Nacional da Ajuda, in Lisbon.