2022 Games Host Not to be Decided in December

(ATR) The Commission for Future Venues of Centro Caribe Sports has recommended traveling to the candidate cities of the 2022 Games, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico) and San Salvador (El Salvador), Around the Rings has learned.

A source linked to the regional sports organization assured that the decision of this face-to-face inspection despite the epidemiological situation in the region changes the Executive Committee's plans to decide on the venue this December.

The emerging situation of going out in search of a new host for the 24th Central American and Caribbean Games came after Panama pulled out in July due to the health crisis.

Last Saturday the Executive Committee received the evaluations of both proposals by the Future Venues Commission temporarily headed by the Mexican Jimena Saldaña, first vice president of CCS.

Apparently the report transmitted the suggestion not to choose a host city without first visiting the applicants as is de rigueur.

Two weeks ago the main officials of Panam Sports made technical visits to Cali, Colombia, host of the I Junior Pan American Games in September 2021, after the Covid-19 pandemic had only allowed virtual supervision.

The source told ATR that after the stumble with Panama, Centro Caribe Sports cannot fail again and the continuity of the Games would be endangered, so with these inspection visits it would try to guarantee the formal commitment of the main authorities in Puerto Rico and El Salvador.

Luis Mejía as president of the then CACSO was unable to arrange a meeting with the Panamanian president amid the initial preparations.

The last weeks of December could be complicated for the agendas of the respective leaders, so the trip of the sports leaders should take place in January, according to the source.

The president of the Mayaguez 2010 Foundation, businessman Felipe Pérez Grajales, trusts that at the 2022 Games, "after having had a country closed for two years, we can give each other the first hug without a mask".

Pérez Grajales, who was president of the Organizing Committee when Mayaguez held the regional Games 10 years ago, today is promoting the project to rescue the sports mega-event together with the Puerto Rico Olympic Committee (COPUR).

Pérez confirmed to ATR that the date of the meeting between COPUR and the Fiscal Oversight Board (JSF) that will determine the central government budget for the Games has not yet been set.

"But we have made progress because we have had meetings with the incoming Governor (Pedro Pierluisi) who has given us support, and communication with many of the new agency secretaries, all supporting the project," said Pérez Grajales.

The new government of Puerto Rico will take office on January 2, so it is not ruled out that the meeting to evaluate the cost of the Games will be after the inauguration.

Pérez Grajales expects that the analysis with the Fiscal Supervision Board that supervises the country's finances will include several meetings.

According to a report by COPUR and the 2010 Foundation, the general budget for the Games amounts to $70 million, while the estimated return on investment would be $223 million.

Funding sources would come from the government (in this case $70 million) and from the income generated by the sale of sponsorship, accommodation fees and the rights generated by the sporting event, according to a preliminary economic study.

Pérez Grajales announced that a cruise ship of a prestigious international company will serve around 4,000 athletes from Villa Centroamericana. "The Games in 2022 will be a great opportunity for tourism in Puerto Rico and a factor for sports, economic and social development in a post-pandemic world," he said.

For his part, the president of the Olympic Committee of El Salvador, Eduardo Palomo, insisted that the candidacy has the "full support" of the central government and the municipalities and between them they already guarantee more than $175 million to mount the Games.

This investment would be directed above all to the renovation of the sports infrastructure. Salvadorans would celebrate the vast majority of their sports in the capital itself and will have a sub-headquarters for nautical sports in the city of Santa Ana. In this town and with the help of Panam Sports they build a new gym.

San Salvador proposes to organize the Games in March 2023, four months after celebrating the Central American Games in the city of Santa Tecla.

According to the bylaws of Centro Caribe Sports, its Executive Committee will be in charge of defining the winner between the candidates.

El Salvador organized the Central American and Caribbean Games of 1935 and 2002 while Puerto Rico has held them in San Juan (1966),Ponce (1993) and Mayaguez (2010).

Cuba, the main medal winner in this region, was absent from the San Salvador (2002) and Mayaguez (2010) Games for political reasons.

Written and reported by Miguel Hernandez

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