Sporting Lisbon celebrates 40th anniversary of first visit to China

One of the big three football clubs in Portugal, Sporting Lisbon, hosted a ceremony on Feb 26 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their first visit to China, according to a report by Xinhua News Agency. 

This ceremony took place at the Estádio José Alvalade, the team’s home stadium in Lisbon, where the team’s Vice-President Carlos Vieira stated the significance of the team’s first visit to China in 1978. A video regarding that visit was played at the ceremony, showing the 41-member Portuguese party including representatives of Sporting arriving in Beijing in June 1978 and then travelling to Hong Kong, Kunming and Macau. 

To celebrate this 40^th anniversary, Vieira also announced at the ceremony that the club will visit China again this year. A series of exhibitions will also be organized with the club  bringing this exhibition to Beijing, Shanghai and Macau from March to November, 2018, as well as setting up seminars regarding sports and interpersonal communication. 

Founded in Lisbon on 1 July 1906, Sporting Lisbon were a founding member of the Primeira Liga and, along with rivals S.L. Benfica and FC Porto, have never been relegated from the top flight of Portuguese football since its establishment in 1934. 

Source: Xinhua News Agency

Proofread by Raymond Fitzpatrick