PanamSports Increases Lima 2019 Supervision

(ATR) Lima 2019 Pan American Games president Carlos Neuhaus tells Around the Rings that PanamSports executives "expressed satisfaction with the progress they found" during a recent inspection by the coordination, technical and medical commissions.

PanamSports president Neven Ilic led the delegation in meetings that Neuhaus called "intensive and productive". Ilic, PanamSports secretary general Ivar Sisniega and fellow executives met with representatives of the Organizing Committee and visited many of the venues.

Neuhaus provided an update regarding open tenders for venues and facilities that still need to be constructed as well as initial progress on the Pan American Village that began construction on Sept. 13. The village is expected to be delivered by February 2019 while open tenders for La Videna, Villa Maria del Triunfo and El Callao venues also have a deadline for completion in the first quarter of 2019.

In terms of infrastructure, Neuhaus says 44 roads will be renovated throughout Lima in an effort to modernize the roadways. Plans are in development for special lanes that would be exclusive to the Pan American family during the Pan Ams, much like Olympic lanes are used for the Games.

Agreements have also been signed with state and regional municipal authorities to coordinate these works near the Pan American Village.

The 2019 Pan Ams will also feature the most sports in the event’s history, with 39 sports and 12 qualifiers for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Approximately 6,600 athletes and 2,600 officials are expected to attend the Lima 2019 Pan Am Games.

The Lima Convention Center which hosted the 2017 IOC Session will serve as the International Broadcasting Center and Main Press Center for the Pan Ams. The center will be the headquarters where 900 hours of live sport coverage will be produced across 16 sports.

"Lima is part of the story," said Ilic, noting that coverage will not include sport alone. "The Games are our best product and for this reason I must highlight the total commitment of the Peruvian Government. It is working with professionalism and that will allow them to grow in the sport.

"With the transmission we will show the evolution of the Games around the world. We will offer a quality product. I'm sure that will be extraordinary Games and we are prepared to present it to the world," said Ilic, who was accompanied on the visit by PanamSports secretary general Ivar Sisniega.

"The games will be broadcast in at least 40 countries of America and some across Europe and Asia," Neuhaus added. "Hundreds of millions of viewers will see Lima 2019.

"During the Games, I hope to have 175,000 tourists that will provide an estimated $193 million for the country, but thanks to the media exposure we will have more visitors years after the event," Neuhaus emphasized.

Neuhaus reiterated "strong support" of the President of the Peru, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, for the successful completion of the Games. He says the Organizing Committee meets with President Kuczynski "at least once a month" with another meeting scheduled for this week.

Neuhaus denied that there has been negative media attention regarding the venue progress in recent week.

"It has been reversed to a large extent the adverse environment that was a year ago and which was exacerbated during natural disasters of last March," he said referring to the floods in Lima. "Already underway is the construction of the Athletes’ Village. The Pan American family knows and has noted the advances that we have made."

The 18th Pan American Games will be held between July 26 and Aug. 11 and the sixth Parapan American Games will run from Aug. 23 to Sept. 1.

Written by Miguel Hernandez

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