“Dear President: Pan American GamesIt is the premier multi-sport event in America; These are the great wishes of all athletes and it is Panam Sports’ responsibility to ensure that the signed contracts are adhered to in order to guarantee an excellent event for the athletes in America (…). “Following all violations of the host city agreement and extensions granted, the Panam Sports Executive Committee decided to withdraw the headquarters to Barranquilla, Colombia, in a session held on Tuesday, January 2, 2024.”
These are the terms of the letter, which are unknown to this day. Panama SportsThe games’ governing body responds to the president Gustavo Peter Why was the country left without the center of continental competitions that were due to be held in 2027?
The loss of the center led to a political scandal that disturbed the Minister of Sports at the beginning of the year.Astrid Viviana Rodríguez, a motion of censure hung over his head. The same crisis forced President Petro to take responsibility for the so far unsuccessful efforts to retake Barranquilla’s seat.
This week, Asunción (Paraguay) and Lima (Peru) formalized their intention to hold the Pan American Games in 2027, further complicating the Atlantic capital’s possibilities. The country is awaiting the president’s announcement to Chile, where he hopes to receive his counterpart’s support. Gabriel BoricTo act as an intermediary for Panam Sports, the president of which Neven İliçHe is also Chilean.
(You may be interested in: Olympic Committee says Barranquilla cannot apply to host Pan American Games)
The State Department ordered all of the country’s delegations in the Americas to launch a campaign to try to contribute to Colombia’s intentions; This is not a step without criticism, as competition rules for headquarters do not support this type of diplomatic lobbying; and the Government believes that the goodwill of Chile, which hosted last year’s successful Games, will help the Panam Sports Executive Committee reverse its decision of January 2.
However, the tone of the letter sent Narino Palace Ilic does not lead to higher expectations. The president of Panam Sports reminds Petro that on April 30, 2021, Barranquilla received all the votes to host the XX Pan American Games and “for the first time these votes were given directly to a city, which responded to the recognition of great success.” “The work done by Colombian athletes, the Colombian Olympic Committee and all institutions with the responsibility of making sport a national priority.”
According to the letter known to EL TIEMPO, the contract signed on May 31, 2021 was as follows: “Serious violation” Despite repeated communications to which Panam Sports complained, no information was received. “There is no official response.”
The first of these communications came on January 21, 2022, during the government of President Iván Duque, demanding “compliance with the unfulfilled articles of the contract to which there was no response.” Panam Sports reported that on September 13, 2022, a second letter was sent to the national authorities (who were already in the Petro government) “requesting timely compliance with the contract, but no response was received regarding non-compliance.” says.
This also occurred in the communication dated October 20, 2022. Almost 10 months later, with Rodríguez Ministry of SportThe organization officially stated that it has given Colombia 60 days (until October 29, 2023) “to fully comply with the agreement”, and if this does not happen, “in accordance with Article 76 of the agreement” we will have the authority to withdraw the headquarters of the XX Pan American Games 2027 to the city of Barranquilla .”
In that letter received three months ago, Colombian officials said, mindeporteAccording to Panam Sports, they have been officially called to comply with seven key points that have not made progress. These are the establishment of the Organizing Committee as a legal entity in accordance with national laws; Payment of $4 million corresponding to the rights to organize the games (confused by the change of government in Colombia, which will take place on July 30, 2022) and cancellation of another $4 million corresponding to the grant Regulation to media rights (which was supposed to be realized on July 30, 2023, but was not fulfilled ).
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Source: Exame
