The great sports force of the Americas: “ACODEPA does not compete with PANAM SPORTS, we are partners”
Víctor García
April 24, 2024

Francisco Lee López was re-elected last June for a new term 2023-2027 as president of ACODEPA, an institution that brings together the 39 sports of the Pan American region. His profile distinguishes him as a professor and academic, he founded in the early 80’s the Autonomous Sports Confederation of Guatemala (CDAG), becoming a leader of international stature. His link with the sport comes from the hand of Olympic wrestling, he was coach and later president of the Wrestling Federation of his country. His leap to the big leagues dates back to 2003, when he took over the Pan American Confederation of this sport and, from then on, this affable man, rich in language and direct, went on to lead a decisive body in the execution of all the specific competitions organized by the Pan American sports confederations and with a major impact on the staging and judging of the sports that are in the Olympic cycle of Panam Sports.

From Guatemala City, Lee Lopez answers the call of SportsIn, he knows that we seek to know and explore the progress that ACODEPA has had, but also, to know how he faced his first period where the pandemic hit hard and literally prevented him from being on the ground for his first years of governance.

What is your assessment of your management of COVID?

Francisco Lee (c), president of ACODEPA.

“The first period at the head of PASO was a very interesting stage, with many challenges, extremely difficult, practically a few months after taking office, COVID appeared. However, during that very sad episode we managed to make a lot of progress in the restructuring of our organization, we started by drafting a legal framework -read new statutes-, which I can assure you, today, comply 100% with all the requirements of good governance in terms of sport. On the other hand, we created a series of participation mechanisms with our Executive Committee and with our General Assembly, I can assure you that ACODEPA has much more presence and is more visible than it was before. I can responsibly say that we have been recognized by the Pan-American sports confederations, where we have been able to generate with work and validation with our peers, the sports confederations mandated us to comply with the navigation chart and, despite all the vicissitudes, we were able to move forward and give it an integrating and participatory vision, where sport is our source of inspiration, therefore, ACODEPA is a protagonist and has its own voice”.

What is ACODEPA’s evaluation of the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games?

“For the public’s knowledge, the Pan American sports confederations are the ones that carry the full weight of the organization, planning and development of all competitions. We must remember that the role of the confederations begins 2 years before the games themselves, we are the ones who validate the facilities where the events will be held, the equipment to be acquired by the organizing country must be approved by the international sports federations. The selection and classification of the referees and the participating athletes, I want to remind you that we do all the classification process and we validate the technical manuals and the technological part that will be implemented for each competition.

As for the Pan American Games, it is not wise to give a general opinion since each sport has its particularities and had its own difficulties. Fortunately, I would say that the problems were less than the positive things, each technical delegate together with the president of the respective confederation, were always available to solve the different issues that arose and, most importantly, were proactive to diligently resolve borderline situations. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Santiago 2023 Organizing Committee, who with their government managed to move forward with these Pan American Games and leave a valuable legacy in terms of infrastructure”.

For a long time, ACODEPA’s communication with PASO and, today, PANAM SPORTS was formal. There was no real protagonism of your institution with the governing body of America. How is the relationship today with PANAM SPORTS and Neven Ilic?

“ACODEPA is an organization that was created a little over 30 years ago under the administration of Mario Vásquez Raña Q.E.P.D. Obviously, at the beginning we were born as an appendix of PASO. However, I believe that with the growth of sports in America, ACODEPA has been getting stronger with its own profile and proof of this is the link we have with PANAM SPORTS, a cordial, fluid and institutional relationship. We have been able to participate in the commissions that have given us spaces, we are part of the Executive Committee of PANAM SPORTS and I am grateful for the recognition and prominence that President Neven Ilic has given us to join his organization”.

What does Francisco Lee intend to leave as a legacy to the Pan American sports confederations, a multi-sport event that rests in ACODEPA?

“As I said before, this has been a slow but steady process. Today it has been understood that, just as in the Olympic Games the international sports federations are the protagonists in each of their disciplines, in the Americas the Pan American confederations also have a very important role to play. We are not competing with PANAM SPORTS, nor with the Olympic Committees, we are partners in a great project in which each one has very specific roles and in the case of the confederations we are responsible for all the technical and organizational aspects, before, during and after the games”.

We are a little more than 3 months away from the Paris Olympics, how do you see the countries of the continent or the Americas technically?

“As for the upcoming Olympics, we are basically staying at the same normal standards. America has a very strong participation in certain sports such as athletics, weightlifting, swimming, I can add boxing…. And, on the other hand, it is also satisfactory to review the generational change in other countries. In many events there are already young athletes representing the continent and, of course, with powers such as the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Colombia itself, just to mention a few”.

Latest News