Bidding Deadline for 2023 Pan Am Games Arrives

(ATR) The Pan American Sports Organization will announce the bid cities competing to host the 2023 Pan Am Games on Feb. 1.

PASO secretary general Jimena Saldana tells Around the Rings the deadline for cities to submit their intent to bid is Tuesday, Jan. 31. Thus far, only neighboring South American countries Chile and Argentina have verbally expressed interest in hosting the organization’s flagship event.

"We are in an exploratory stage, but we know that sport is a factor of development and improvement for all people," said Buenos Aires Deputy Mayor Diego Santilli, according to Argentinean sports publication Ole. "We want to empower Buenos Aires as an international beacon for sport."

Argentina has experience hosting the Pan Ams in Buenos Aires in 1951 and Mar del Plata in 1995. The Argentinean capital is also hosting the Youth Olympic Games in September 2018.

A potential bid from Santiago, Chile has also long been expected after the city was beaten by Lima, Peru in 2013 to host the 2019 edition of the event. After the loss in 2013, Chilean Olympic Committee president Neven Ilic said the country should continue to work towards hosting the Pan Am Games. If successful, Ilic would bring the event to Chile for the first time in its history.

The host of the 2023 Pan Ams will be decided in the host city of the 2019 edition of the event. The 54th PASO General Assembly is expected to be held in October in Lima, Peru to decide which country will host the event.

Written by Kevin Nutley

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