Panam Sports held a meeting of its Executive Board in Aruba, where it approved new financial support measures for continental sport. The organisation agreed to allocate up to $40,000 per year to each Pan American sports confederation that meets the established criteria, as well as a 50% increase in the annual contribution to the Association of Pan American Sports Confederations -ACODEPA-.
The decision places Pan American confederations at the centre of sports development in the region. These resources can help improve the operational capacity of organisations, expand training programmes, coordinate calendars, support national federations and prepare regional competitions. In a continent with very different sporting realities, the measure seeks to create better conditions for athletes, coaches, officials and technical structures.
More support for the Pan American sports network
The increase for ACODEPA gives greater room for action to the organisation that brings together Pan American or continental sports confederations recognised by their international federations and by the Olympic system. Its role is to coordinate the work of these bodies within the continental ecosystem, which means the funding increase has not only an economic reading, but also an institutional one.
ACODEPA president Francisco Lee described the day as “historic” and said that Panam Sports had taken “a qualitative leap forward” in its support for Pan American confederations and for the organisation itself. The meeting also agreed to provide assistance to the CARIFTA Games, the Caribbean youth athletics tournament, and to the Central American Sports Organization -ORDECA-, chaired by Armando Bruni, extending the scope of the measures to regional structures and youth development events.
Lima 2027 presents its progress
The second major focus of the meeting was the presentation by the Lima 2027 Organising Committee, led by Sergio Ludeña, president of the Peruvian Sports Institute -IPD-, and Renzo Manyari, president of the Peruvian Olympic Committee. The organisers outlined the main advances for the Pan American Games, including that 98% of the infrastructure is ready, the launch of the local organising committee’s website and social media channels, and the hiring of professionals across different functional areas.
The presentation by Panam Sports’ Lima 2027 Coordination Commission, led by Damaris Young, president of the Olympic Committee of Panama and member of the International Olympic Committee -IOC-, also carried weight within the meeting. Ludeña said the Peruvian team had presented “all the details” of its work plan and highlighted the recommendations received from the Executive Board. “The commitment of the Peruvian Government is total and we are convinced that we are on the right track,” he said.
Training, coordination and institutional confidence
Panam Sports president Neven Ilic described the meeting as “very productive” and highlighted the Lima 2027 presentation as one of the most important points. “We received a very solid presentation, which gives us great confidence that the Games will become a reality and that the work is being done properly,” he said. Ilic also thanked the Aruban Olympic Committee and the national government for the welcome received during the meeting.
Panam Sports secretary general Jimena Saldaña linked the meeting to the alignment of the organisation’s priorities and to training work within the continental system. “Strengthening national federations and Pan American confederations through training and education opportunities allows us to create the best conditions for our athletes, who are, of course, at the centre of all our decisions and actions,” she said.
The meeting also had a relevant reading for Aruba as host. Nicole Hoevertsz, secretary general of the Aruban Olympic Committee and IOC member, said that organising the meeting had been “a great honour” and an opportunity to show that the island can host events of this level. “It was a huge challenge. The meeting was very successful and gave us the opportunity to demonstrate that Aruba can host these major events. We hope this will be the first of many meetings in the future,” she said.
Last related articles
