The South American Sports Organisation -ODESUR- used its 39th General Assembly to organise the calendar for its forthcoming competitions and determine who will be responsible for selecting the still-vacant host of the 2030 South American Games. Representatives of the National Olympic Committees met at the Puerto Norte Convention Centre in Rosario on 12 September, coinciding with the opening of Santa Fe 2026. The meeting was opened by ODESUR President Mario Moccia and Panam Sports President Neven Ilic, with the participation of Mayor Pablo Javkin. International Olympic Committee -IOC- President Kirsty Coventry sent a recorded message specifically for the delegates, although its full content has not been published.
The Assembly also recognised the organisation’s previous institutional period. Camilo Pérez López Moreira, ODESUR President between 2017 and 2026 and an IOC member since 2018, received the Collar of the South American Order of Sporting Merit from Moccia in recognition of his career, leadership and contribution to strengthening sport across the region. The Paraguayan official, who has been appointed ODESUR Honorary President, also received the Rosario Tricentennial Medal during his visit, an honour previously awarded to figures including Lionel Messi and Luciana Aymar. “It is a true honour to receive the Rosario Tricentennial Medal from Mayor Pablo Javkin,” Pérez said, describing the city as possessing an “immense identity and history”. The meeting was therefore Moccia’s first General Assembly since taking over the presidency in May, while also recognising the nine-year tenure of his predecessor.
A host still to be chosen for 2030
The Assembly’s most significant decision concerned the 14th South American Games. The ordinary bidding process for 2030 concluded without a host being appointed, prompting the Assembly to authorise the ODESUR Executive Committee to make the selection. The measure allows the organisation to continue the process without waiting for another meeting of all its members, but it does not mean that the Games have already been awarded. The Executive Committee must receive the necessary documentation from interested territories, establish an Evaluation Commission and verify that each project satisfies the organisational, financial and sporting requirements contained in the hosting specifications.
The Chilean Olympic Committee -COCH- submitted a letter of interest from the Biobío Region, with Concepción intended as the main centre of a potential bid. Its President, Miguel Ángel Mujica, emphasised the territorial benefits of the proposal: “For a country such as Chile, hosting a major event will always be excellent news, but if it takes place outside Santiago, it provides the additional benefit of decentralisation and regionalisation.” He explained that a “formal bid document” must still be prepared through coordination with the Sports Ministry, the National Sports Institute and local authorities. Chilean Sports Minister Francisco Riveros confirmed the Government’s support: “We want Chile to host major international sporting events and we want them to reach every region of the country.”
From Santa Fe to Iquique
Before turning to future hosts, ODESUR reviewed the competition that had just begun. Adrián Ghiglione, Director General of the Santa Fe 2026 Organising Committee, and Executive Director Diego Sebben reported on a Games featuring 4,246 athletes — 2,238 men and 2,008 women — from 15 countries. The programme comprises 43 sports and 60 disciplines, 26 of which offer qualification places for the Lima 2027 Pan American Games. The Coordination, Technical and Medical Commissions delivered their assessments, while ODESUR Executive Director Mario Cilenti presented the organisation’s Games-time operations and television plans. The Assembly therefore connected oversight of the current edition with decisions concerning the next cycle.
The agenda also included the final report on the 4th South American Youth Games Panama 2026 and an update on the 6th South American Beach Games, which will be held in Iquique in 2027. The Chilean city will also host the election of the venue for the 5th South American Youth Games 2029 on 11 March 2027. The formal bidding process will open on 30 December 2026. ODESUR thus established the next steps for two events occupying different positions within its programme: one intended for young athletes and another centred on beach disciplines.
Athletes, equality and new anti-doping rules
Athletes’ Commission Chair Inés Remersaro presented the work being carried out to incorporate athletes’ voices into ODESUR’s structure and decision-making. The National Olympic Committees also received information about the World Anti-Doping Code and the standards due to take effect on 1 January 2027. The reform introduced by the World Anti-Doping Agency -WADA- will separate testing requirements from intelligence and investigations, which will be governed by a new standalone standard. The changes require regional organisations, Olympic committees and competition organisers to adapt their procedures before the next events on the calendar.
The institutional programme also included the presentation of the Jenny Martínez Award to Danae Andrada, President of the South American Hockey Confederation, in recognition of her career and contribution to women’s participation in sports leadership. The award was presented by Damaris Young, Chair of the ODESUR Women, Equity and Safe Sport Commission, together with Moccia. Through its review of Santa Fe 2026, the timetable established for 2029, the search for a 2030 host and preparations for the new anti-doping rules, the first General Assembly under the new presidency made Rosario the starting point for ODESUR’s next sporting and institutional cycle.
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