Tarracus is the mascot for the 2017 Mediterranean Games in the Spanish city of Tarragona ©European Olympic Committee

Portugal has become the 26th member of the Mediterranean Games, after a meeting of the Assembly of the International Committee of the Mediterranean Games (ICMG) in the Spanish city of Tarragona.

The Portuguese Olympic Committee has been trying to join for more than 20 years.

The ICMG also renewed its various posts, re-electing Amar Addadi  as President for a fifth mandate, and electing Víctor Sánchez as its new vice-president.

Sanchez is also the treasurer of the Spanish Olympic Committee and executive director of the Tarragona 2018 Mediterranean Games.

The 2018 Mediterranean Games will be held from June 30 to July 9 in Tarragona ©Visit Spain
The 2018 Mediterranean Games will be held from June 30 to July 9 in Tarragona ©Visit Spain

During the Assembly, which followed the seminar for the Chefs de Mission of the XVIII Mediterranean Games, the participants also received an update on preparations for Tarragona 2018, and the Oran 2021 Mediterranean Games in Algeria.

The Assembly also welcomed the Greek city of Patras as the organiser of the ICMG Beach Games in 2019. 

The first beach event was organised in the Italian city of Pescara in 2015.