The scheme, run in partnership with Spanish telecommunications provider Telefonica, will see 80 athletes under the age of 23 receive extra support with their preparations for Rio 2016. 

Spain won 17 medals at London 2012, including three gold medals for Joel Gonzalez in taekwondo and sailing wins for Marina Alabau and the Elliot 6m trio of Tamara Echegoyen, Angela Pumariega and Sofia Toro.

Partnerships with various educational institutes were also discussed, including an agreement with San Antonio Catholic University in Murcia where 150 athletes are involved in projects.

An update on preparations for the 2017 Mediterranean Games, scheduled for Tarragona, was provided while the accounts for 2013 and the budget for 2014 received unanimous approval.

The Spanish Olympic Committee has launched a new programme aimed at supporting young athletes in the build-up to Rio 2016 ©Getty Images



Meanwhile, Manuel Parga, a senior figure in the unsuccessful Madrid 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games bid, was elected as COE treasurer.

Madrid has bid unsuccessfully four times for the Olympics, including the last three Games allocated which were awarded to London for 2012, Rio de Janeiro for 2016 and Tokyo for 2020.

Parga replaces Juan Dominguez, who stood down from the position for personal reasons.

José María Rein, Beatriz Ferrer-Salat, Rafael Elvira Cortes, Javier Gómez-Navarro and Alejandro Abascal García were all elected as members while Óscar Gómez Morante and Alfonso García Feijoo were approved as Presidents of the Spanish bowling and rugby federations respectively.

Director General of the Consejo Superior de Deportes (CSD) Ana Muñoz Merino was approved as a representative of the Sports Council while Juan Dominguez Hocking and Pablo Fernández Galán have become Members of Merit.

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