Much of what Mischo discussed in Tuesday’s press conference focused on the issue of financing. The minister pleaded for continued investments to help athletes advance.
Being a former physical education teacher, Mischo also puts emphasis on sports in schools. He further expressed hopes that Luxembourg’s national team will qualify for the 2024 UEFA European Football Championship in Germany.
It is custom to grant a new minister 100 days in office to familiarise themselves with the work of their predecessor and to set an agenda with the most pressing issues.
And as it turns out, Minister Mischo has ambitious goals for the future. One of them is to make sport a more important aspect of society for both young and old.
Mischo believes exercising as a part of daily life is an important mindset for children and youths:
“What is very important to me, and I’ve already said this often, is that it is not enough to keep presenting studies or addressing problems, you also have to tackle them. And that can only be done via initiatives and projects, which of course have to be financed. And we have to make it clear to people where the problem is and what kind of repercussions inactivity engenders in our society.”
At the moment, about 0.2% of the state budget are reserved for sports investments. Back in 2023 when he was still an opposition MP, Mischo had argued in favour of raising the budget to 2%.
Today as a minister, he continues to stand in for greater investments: “Strengthening the backbone of Luxembourg sports is my upmost priority. And that requires having financial means. It is not enough to keep stressing the importance of sport for physical and mental wellbeing, and then when it comes to paying to highlight other things as more important. I think that the new government has understood this and that I am in agreement with the Finance Minister.”
Sport is considered one of the central pillars of Luxembourg’s nation branding aspirations. Aside from inspiring performances at the Summer Olympics in Paris this year, hopes are that the football national team will qualify for the UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany, which would be a first.
Read also: Luxembourg’s Bob Bertemes qualifies for Paris OlympicsMischo commented: “It would be extremely exciting if they qualified. I know that it will be very, very, very difficult and tough, but for nation branding it would be an absolute lucky break. And it would allow us to present ourselves more as a country of 600,000 residents.”
Football is not the only potential avenue that Mischo has eyed, however: “Looking at the European handball cup, the Faroe Islands, which only have 55,000 residents, managed to get 5,000 of their people to the gym in support of their team.”
Whether or not the dream of the national football team will be fulfilled will become clear on 26 March via the Euro 2024 play-offs.
