The Montenegrin Olympic Committee (NOC) continues to provide systemic support to athletes and national teams with the potential to qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, reaffirming that athletes remain at the centre of the development of the national sports system. The latest support is directed towards handball, one of the most significant team sports in Montenegro.
The aim of this four-year programme is to ensure that the Montenegrin women’s national handball team has adequate conditions for preparation and participation in key international competitions, with a clear focus on qualification for and participation in the upcoming Olympic Games. The support provided by the MOC includes funding for training camps, preparatory matches and other activities essential for the team’s structured and continuous preparation.
Handball is the sport that brought Montenegro its only Olympic medal to date and, as such, represents an important pillar of the country’s sporting identity and international recognition. Given its historical significance, investment in handball carries particular importance, contributing to the continuity of results and strengthening the potential for Montenegrin handball to remain competitive at the highest level in the next Olympic cycle.
The President of the Montenegrin Olympic Committee, Dušan Simonović, stated: “This programme represents one of the key mechanisms for the development of team sports and their preparation for the Olympic cycle. Investment in handball is a natural and responsible choice, given its importance for Montenegrin sport and the results it has already delivered for our country. Our Strategy clearly defines that athletes are at the centre of the system. In practice, this means creating conditions for high-quality, continuous and structured work, both in individual and team sports. Programmes such as this ensure that preparation is not carried out on an ad hoc basis, but through a clearly structured process leading towards Olympic qualification and top-level results.”
In addition to supporting handball through this programme, the MOC has, through Olympic Solidarity programmes and its own development mechanisms, supported potential participants for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games by providing Olympic scholarships in judo, sailing, boxing, swimming, athletics, taekwondo, tennis, shooting and gymnastics, as well as through two dedicated development programmes for individual athletes.
It is also recalled that, within the preparation cycle for the Winter Olympic Games, support was provided to five Montenegrin athletes through annual Olympic scholarships covering training costs, coaching, medical support, insurance, accommodation and nutrition, stipends, as well as travel to international competitions and qualification events.
In this way, the MOC confirms its strategic approach to sports development, based on balanced and targeted support for both individual athletes and teams, with a clear focus on long-term results and the sustainable development of the sports system in Montenegro.
The MOC will continue to enhance its support model in the period ahead, through the integration of science, medicine, technology and professional expertise, with the aim of building a sustainable and efficient system that enables athletes and teams to achieve their full potential on the international stage.
