The official was speaking in Luanda during a Lecture named "Memories of sport and National Olympics", along with the likes of former Sports Minister Sardinha de Castro and former COA President Germano Araújo e Rogério Silva.

Conceição urged for all parties to continue mobilising the entire populations to take up sport.

He admitted that there are many more distractions and opportunities for young people today, but that sporting participation remains both "serious and important".

The ultimate aim, he claimed, is to "get everyone working to have great Olympics athletes".

Following independence from Portugal in 1975, Angola first competed at an Olympic Games five years later in Moscow, and, after missing the Los Angeles 1984 Games, they have also competed in the last seven Summer editions, but remain yet to win a medal. 

At London 2012, a 35-strong squad competed across seven sports, including women's handball and women's basketball, with 12th place for Nelson Henriques and 
Fortunato Luis Pacavira in the C2 1,000m canoe sprint competition among the highlights.

Earlier this year at the African Youth Games in Gabarone in nearby Botswana, Angola won a gold medal in the boy's 3x3 basketball competition after beating Egypt 21-15 in the final.

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