At the Extraordinary Assembly of Panam Sports, held on Tuesday, March 12 in Miami, 40 presidents of the national Olympic committees voted virtually for the Peruvian capital, which had organized the Pan American Games in 2019, to do so again in 2027. the twentieth edition.
Only two cities had repeated the Games that began in 1951 in Buenos Aires, and both had done so two or more decades apart: Mexico City 1955, 1975 and Winnipeg 1967, 1999.
Precisely the proximity in time was one of the objections that had been filtered before the vote and Asunción had in its favor the fact that it was going to organize it for the first time. The presidents of the national committees felt that the opportunities to host the Games needed to be expanded.
The countries that had previously organized the Games had double votes and there are 12: Canada, United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Argentina and Chile.
The seat was won by a simple majority, that is, with 27 votes. Tuesday’s result was Lima 28, Asunción 24.
Inside Panam Sports it emerged that there were two factors that tipped the balance in favor of Peru, despite the fact that many of the voters did not want the same city to host the Games in just eight years.
These decisive factors were that, after Lima 2019, the Peruvian government created the Special Legacy Program to maintain an infrastructure of five top-level sports complexes that cost the country around $620 million.
Thanks to this, Peru has since organized a series of international tournaments and this year will host five youth world cups. He has the experience, the “know how”.
The president of the Peruvian Olympic Committee Renzo Manyari explained that by 2027 Lima has a budget of 369 million dollars, assigned by the national government, to, among other expenses, host the five new sports of the Olympic program: flag football, lacrosse, baseball /softball, squash and cricket. And also to build five towers in the Pan American Village, which has six more available.
Before the elections, the delegations had 40 minutes each to convince voters about their respective projects.
That was the other determining factor. The Peruvian exhibition was very solid. It was led by Prime Minister Gustavo Adrianzén, Minister of Education Miriam Ponce, Mayor of Lima Rafael López Aliaga, First Councilor of Lima Renzo Reggiardo, Manyuri and the captain of the Peruvian volleyball team Eduardo Romay.
Each one was very specific and brief. President Dina Boluarte began the red and white presentation virtually.
“The commitment of all Peruvians is to work so that Lima makes history again and my government will give all its support so that the works are completed on time,” said the president. “Peru guarantees the success and security of this great event. “We have first-class infrastructure inherited from the 2019 Pan American Games.”
For his part, Adrianzén assured that Lima 2027 will develop not only greater sports infrastructure but greater connectivity in the city and a better future for the young people of Peru and America.
Mayor López Aliaga offered an urban traffic and security plan so that the Games can take place with due fluidity.
Carlos Neuhaus, president of the Lima 2019 Organizing Committee, accompanied the delegation and, despite not having any official position, was a source of consultation and transmission of experience. His support for Lima 2027 gave confidence to the presidents of the national Olympic committees and the guarantee of a presence that successfully carried the Games in the past.
“Lima has shown us for the second time that it is a sports capital,” said the president of Panam Sports Neven Ilic, who impeccably directed an extraordinary process that began when the Pan American sports organization took away its headquarters on January 3. to Barranquilla.
In August 2021, the Colombian city on the Atlantic had been designated as host of the XX Pan American Games. The commitment involves the deposit of around 20 million dollars in guarantees, with annual deliveries of close to three million. Barranquilla had defaulted on all payments.
Lima, in the interests of Fair Play, had committed to Colombia to withdraw its candidacy if the Barranquilla headquarters were rehabilitated. It did not happen like that and now the Peruvian capital receives this great challenge.
The only national committee that did not vote of the 41 that make up the Pan American family was Haiti due to the problems that the Caribbean nation is currently experiencing.
