Belo Horizonte Approves Student Athlete Support Program in First Vote
Belo Horizonte's City Council approves a new law to support student athletes with financial aid and training centers, alongside recognizing the cultural event Vira Brasil.
- • Belo Horizonte’s City Council approved PL 552/2025 establishing support for student athletes.
- • Program includes financial aid, ten sports training schools, and scholarships.
- • PL 575/2025 recognizes Vira Brasil as a cultural event promoting safe family celebrations.
- • Juliano Lopes emphasized the program’s transformative impact on sports and education.
Key details
On December 3, 2025, the City Council of Belo Horizonte approved in a first round the Project of Law 552/2025, establishing the "Programa de Incentivo ao Estudante Atleta." This initiative aims to create ten Municipal Schools of Sports Training (Cemete) throughout the city, providing financial aid and focused sports training facilities for student athletes who represent their schools or the municipality in competitions. The program’s financial support includes assistance for transportation, meals, and materials, along with scholarships, contingent upon students meeting specific eligibility criteria.
The law was passed with 36 votes in favor and 2 abstentions and will now return to committees for further amendments. Juliano Lopes, president of the Câmara Municipal, highlighted the program’s transformative potential for sports and education in Belo Horizonte.
In the same session, the council unanimously approved Project of Law 575/2025, recognizing the Vira Brasil gospel event as culturally relevant. Organized by Igreja Batista da Lagoinha, the event seeks to provide families with a safe and reflective environment during New Year celebrations, fostering local tourism and job creation. This recognition is the preliminary step before final plenary approval.
These legislative measures represent a coordinated effort to bolster youth sports development and cultural engagement in Belo Horizonte, signaling a commitment to support student athletes and promote community-oriented cultural events.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.