New Host Sought for Central American Games

(ATR) The last hope for El Salvador to keep the Central American Games has vanished and today the event is up in the air.

Henry Núñez (second from right) after being elected as ORDECA president in 2019. (IFBB)The emergency virtual meeting of the Executive Committee of the Central American Sports Organization (ORDECA), on Monday, confirmed that after Santa Tecla withdrew, San Salvador also declined to host the Games from January 14 to 27, 2023.

Current conflicts between the Salvadoran government through the National Sports Institute (Indes) and the Salvadoran Olympic Committee (Coes) were not overcome and Ordeca has been forced to look for a new venue urgently.

That was the conclusion of the recent Ordeca meeting with the presidents of the seven member NOCs headed by Costa Rican Henry Nuñez at the head of the regional organization founded in 1972, with IOC recognition.

Núñez told Around the Rings that a letter from Coes with the official certification of the resignation was expected in the next few hours.

"Once we receive that letter, we will open a new process for Central American cities.

"I hope it will be a short process and that we can make a decision as soon as possible.

"I hope that there will be at least one or two interested in the venue.

"We are going to establish a maximum period of four months to present the candidacies, according to the statutes.

"Ideally, they should be held before the Central American and Caribbean Games, because our Games serve as qualifying preambles.

"Ideally the XII Central American Games should be held in early 2023. There is no time for other dates. I hope we have the possibility of holding them. They are not as complicated as a larger Games, but they still have their dynamics and cost."

Núñez declined to mention cities that could save the continuity of these regional Games.

"There has been no formal position from any NOC, so I cannot advance any criteria," he responded.

The XI Central American Games were organized in Managua, Nicaragua in 2017.

San Salvador still plans to host the Central American and Caribbean Games in 2023. (CCS)Ordeca is formed by the Olympic Committees of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Belize, Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

Although El Salvador withdrew from the XII Central American Games it continues to focus its attention on the organization of the Central American and Caribbean Games and the government has just announced the creation of the Sports Cabinet in support of the 14th edition of the Games in San Salvador in 2023.

This institutional apparatus is headed by the president of Indes, Yamil Bukele. Among the organizations that make up the Cabinet are the Ministries of Tourism, Justice and Public Security, Defense, Government, Foreign Affairs, Culture and the General Directorate of Customs.

Representatives of the Sports Cabinet made public the dates of May 12 to 27, 2023 for the realization of the Games where some 5,500 athletes are expected in 34 sports disciplines from 37 countries.

Centro Caribe Sports has not yet ratified the dates.

Written and reported by Miguel Hernandez

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