Camilo Pérez faces the “greatest challenge” in his career as a sports manager: Asunción 2022

The disastrous consequences of the war in Ukraine can undermine the noblest purposes anywhere on the planet.

Recently, the South American Sports Organization (ODESUR) led by the Paraguayan Camilo Pérez López-Moreira immediately joined the energetic position of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) against the violation of the Olympic Truce by the Russian government with its military invasion of Ukraine.

“From ODESUR we condemn this invasion that is costing numerous lives, forcing the forced separation of families, the displacement of thousands of citizens and violating the sovereignty of an independent nation,” criticized Pérez López-Moreira at the beginning of his interview with Around The Rings.

The warlike action that has been under the label of “special peacekeeping operation” for 22 days, with its devastating effects and global repercussion, could affect multidisciplinary sports projects on the international horizon such as the South American Games scheduled from October 1-15 in Asunción, Paraguay.

The optimism of Camilo Pérez, president of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee, has accompanied him since he opted to carry out the Asunción bid in 2017 against all odds, and he says today, less than seven months before the opening of the Games, “Don’t let the preparations stop.”

The director is also convinced that Asunción 2022 will be the greatest challenge in his career as a sports director.

What worries you the most at the moment?

“To tell the truth, that the new acquired implements arrive on time. With the world problem of war, the lack of fluidity in shipments can suddenly appear. Everything is on the way but it depends on external factors.

“Supplies arrive from various ports around the world. The truth is that there are no delays, but there are concerns. The world is convulsed and we are afraid of late shipments. But we believe that everything will be fulfilled in a timely manner.

“On the other hand, the works must be completed within a period of about two months before the Games, it is not much but this final stretch of the construction process in the history of mega-events already appears normal.”

“The concern is daily, there is always something in the day to day, but we trust that everything will turn out well. God grant that from now on the interest in continuing that war will diminish. If it spreads it can be very detrimental to everyone.

“And that we are not even thinking about the coronavirus pandemic that we all believe is already in the twilight.”

Speaking of the pandemic, the Government of Paraguay annulled the decree that established a good number of restrictions but remains in force, for example, the presentation of the vaccination card to enter the country... For those who are not vaccinated, there is no Games?

“At this very moment, massive events are freed from restrictions in Paraguay. More than 40,000 people attended the Paraguayan soccer classic last Sunday and I did not see anyone wearing a mask, only closed places require it. There is a downward trend in cases.

“If the Games were today, the requirement is that each participant, even as a spectator, has to be vaccinated. It is not a measure of the Games, it is a law of the country. Hopefully as time goes on more bans will be removed. Let’s hope that infections continue to decline due to the effect of vaccination.”

However, having come this far when the Games begin to touch each other with their fingers, after uncertainties such as those created in the summer of 2019 and at the end of 2021 with the budget issue, and due to the terrible blow of the pandemic, do you breathe easier today?

“I will be calmer the day after the closing.

“But it is true, today we are in a different position, with a budget approved by National Law last November and ratified by the President of the Republic Mario Abdo Benítez. Today they are executing, let’s say, the last purchases, there are only a few tenders left that will be completed in this month of March

“All the tenders are carried out by the National Sports Secretariat, (SND) headed by Minister Fátima Morales, the main entity in charge of organizing the Games, we are not a party but we are accompanying that process”

So you are unmarked from that structure of the Organization of the Games that depends directly on the SND?

“As I am president of ODESUR, to maintain my independence, I am not a member of what would be the Organizing Committee elsewhere, but which in Paraguay is called the “General Coordination of the South American Games Asunción 2022″. But other members of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee do. I do not attend their meetings as a guest either, but I am updated by the reports of my colleagues.

“We have very fluid communication with Minister Morales, and with the General Coordination”

Is there frequent communication as an Olympic leader with the President of the Republic on the subject of the Games?

“Recently we were visiting him with the group of scholarship athletes, about 200, there is an important investment for his preparation. The president has made the Games a priority on his agenda.

“Your direct interlocutor is Minister Morales. As of this month we have fortnightly meetings with a group of ministers headed by the Secretary General and Head of the Presidential Cabinet who is coordinating the actions of the different ministries and the SND and the COP based on other non-sports areas such as security, health, tourism, among others.

But you do participate in these meetings?

“As president of the COP”

-Among those more than 200 scholarship recipients are the Paraguayan medals?

“Yes. We are trying to surpass the harvest of Cochabamba (Bolivia) in 2018, which was 30 medals. But don’t ask me what sports. I don’t want to leave anyone hurt or hopeless. In a significant number of disciplines there is hope”

Do you expect to see Thomas Bach at the opening ceremony of the Games?

“I think it will be difficult due to the commitments on his agenda in these times, but we are going to invite him”

As a member of the IOC, you are part of the Olympic Program and LA 2028 Commissions. Will the Asunción 2022 experience help you?

“Without a doubt. These will be the Games in which I was closest to the organization throughout my managerial career, but we also learned lessons from the South American Games in Santiago de Chile 2014 and Cochabamba 2018, the Youth Games in Santiago 2017 and next month I will be in those from Rosario… A little weathered already, don’t you think?”.

There are still seven months left and without being skeptical, isn’t time very tight?

“To tell the truth, we are in a race against the clock, every day is a day that is won or lost in different areas, but we are working with the best so that everything goes well.

“I am convinced that these Games are going to do Paraguayan sports a lot of good.

“It will be before and after for all of us.

“I am convinced that the greatest challenge, and hopefully the greatest achievement, of my career as a sports manager will be to be able to carry these Games forward”

You are a sports leader with notable success in recent years: re-elected as head of the COP and ODESUR, elected member of the IOC and of the Executive Boards of Panam Sports, the Association of National Olympic Committees and the International Federation of Tennis…

Have you ever thought of throwing in the towel in these complex times?

“”Not really, it’s not my style. And as the problem gets more difficult, the more I want to face it and get ahead. As long as I have strength I will continue fighting so that everything is fine in Paraguayan sports

“For now, I want to thank all the people who, collaborating with us, want to see the success of the Games in a small country, which has never held a Games in its history. It is difficult but possible only thanks to teamwork”