Conflict in El Salvador over Central American Games

(ATR) The Central American Sports Organization (Ordeca) will decide next Monday the fate of the Central American Games originally awarded in 2017 to Santa Tecla, El Salvador.

Around the Rings has learned that this "extraordinary" convocation of Ordeca's executive committee is being made in the face of the danger that the Central American Games could be suspended following Santa Tecla's withdrawal and in the midst of a conflict between the Salvadoran government and the national Olympic committee.

This week the government, through the National Sports Institute (Indes), announced that it was pulling its support to the XII Central American Games, although it hinted at the possibility of hosting them in San Salvador.

Indes' decision was followed by accusations against the Olympic Committee of El Salvador (COES).

The Indes communiqué, whose content was ratified in declarations by its president Yamil Bukele, blames the decision to withdraw the governmental support for the Games to the lack of commitment on the part of COES and to its procedure of delaying its answers to Indes communications, as has happened with the recent efforts to try to save the Games with documentation to be presented before Ordeca.

Indes also argues that it did not find the necessary economic support from COES, neither for the athletes' participation nor for the organization or logistics of the event in Santa Tecla.

According to Indes, the new mayor of Santa Tecla, Henry Flores, has reported that from 2017 to date, neither the Organizing Committee nor the municipality managed to raise funds to cover the organization of the Central American Games.

For his part, the president of COES, Eduardo Palomo, in a response letter, regretted accusations "out of context or without foundation".

"The provocation and discord do not help the sport, therefore we will insist on seeking dialogue and consensus in such a way that a constructive spirit and stature prevails in order not to harm the sport and achieve the objective we have in common."

The president of COES ratified that he is "in the best disposition" to support the city of San Salvador as the new venue for the Central American Games from January 14 to 27, 2023, and that is why he is expected to participate in the next Ordeca meeting.

Four months later, San Salvador will host the XXIV Central American and Caribbean Games in May, though the exact days have yet to be defined with the 31-member regional sports organization Centro Caribe Sports and six other associates.

Ordeca, presided by Costa Rican Henry Núñez, is formed by the Olympic Committees of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Belize, Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

Written and reported by Miguel Hernandez

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