Delegates from the Sports Ministry of the Dominican Republic and COD at a meeting which pledged to clearing sporting debts ©COD

The Minister of Sports for the Dominican Republic, Francisco Camacho, has stated that the Government will pay the debts of the National Federations, with recent issues during the COVID-19 pandemic causing financial difficulties worldwide.

Camacho made his first visit to the Dominican Republic Olympic Committee (COD) where he was welcomed by the Board of Directors, as well as leaders of sports federations.

He also said that his team would return the monthly allocations to the federations.

"We are going to make a commitment so that the national sports federations are not involved in taking loans to honour their commitments and have to pay interest," said Camacho when speaking at the meeting in the Juan Ulises Garcia Saleta hall of the COD.

On his second day of meetings at the Ministry of Sports, he said that the problems facing COD heading towards the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be prioritised.

"It is an honour to receive in the Olympic House a member of the Olympic Movement as a representative of the Government," said COD President Luis Mejia Oviedo when welcoming the new Sports Minister.

Both committed to transparency and fluidity within their sports leadership positions to improve the development of sports in the nation.

Lasting just over half an hour, the newly appointed vice-ministers of sports, journalist Santos Kennedy Vargas and lawyer Juan Antonio Vila Reynoso were also present at the meeting.

Mejia was accompanied by general secretary of the COD Gilberto Garcia, first vice-president Antonio Acosta and other delegates from the governing body.

The meeting held last month will be one of many in future with the newly-appointed Minister of Sports.