The award was approved by all people involved including both the SIGA Council and the General Assembly. 

The ceremony was held at the COP headquarters in Lisbon with the presence of other Presidents and representatives from Portuguese sports organisations including the Secretary of State for Youth and Sport of Portugal, João Paulo Rebelo. 

SIGA’s global chief executive Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, highlighted Constantino’s contribution to the development of SIGA.

"Sport needs heroes. Heroes that inspire us and show us that it’s possible to overcome the human condition and reach excellence," said Macedo de Medeiros.

"About José Manuel Constantino almost everything has been said. He has an impressive collection of well-deserved awards, honours and distinctions.

"This Special Recognition Award that I have the honour of handing over on behalf of SIGA and the whole international community that we represent, is the one that was missing. 

"It is an invaluable and unique award, which is only granted to those who have rendered the highest services in the field of Sport Integrity. 

"Today, we homage the citizen, the sporting leader, the academic and the intellectual, José Manuel Constantino." 

Constantino, who was first elected in 2013 and then re-elected in 2017, explained he was grateful for SIGA’s recognition and his supportive colleagues. 

"Throughout my training and in a significant phase of my professional life, I had the privilege of sharing my life and my thoughts with great individuals," said Constantino.

"Now, I am only the leader of a team and therefore this prize must be shared with the Presidents of the sporting federations and COP’s executives and personnel.

"I thank Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros and SIGA for this special recognition. We all have to be activists for a sport free from suspicions, a sport governed and operated under the highest governance and integrity standards."

He is the author of 12 books, co-author of 17, an ex-footballer graduated in physical education and passionate about sports.