Lima 2019 Adds Experts from London 2012

(ATR) The Lima 2019 Organizing Committee (COPAL) is partnering with the United Kingdom’s International Trade Ministry to advance its projects for the Pan American Games.

The Peruvian government arranged for Lima 2019 to receive support from U.K. experts that were instrumental in hosting the London 2012 Summer Olympics. Greg Hands of the UK. ITM signed the agreement via video-link with British Ambassador to Peru Anwar Choudhury and COPAL president Carlos Neuhaus on April 19.

The support entails helping deliver venue and infrastructure projects related to the upcoming Pan American Games with valuable contracts opened up to companies and contractors from the UK. Extensive cooperation with COPAL by experts with experience running more than 100 major sporting events including the London 2012 Games is also included in the deal.

"This arrangement with the UK government is fundamental to our progress in successfully organizing and delivering the Lima 2019 Games," COPAL president Carlos Neuhaus said in a statement. "We are thrilled to be working in close collaboration with our British partners, benefiting from their extensive expertise to make the Lima 2019 Games a success."

Hands adds that the UK’s support will help ensure the 2019 Pan American games leave a positive impact on Peruvians.

"Since the Sydney Games in 2000 the UK has been involved in every major global sporting tournament offering support in areas like construction, transport and event organisation," Hands said in a statement. "This new agreement will deliver that world-leading expertise to help make the Lima 2019 Games a success, creating opportunities for UK companies and a lasting legacy for the Peruvian people as we did at London 2012."

Speaking to Around the Rings earlier this week, Neuhaus mentioned that Canadian experts were also in the running to sign the cooperation agreement given their experience hosting the most recent Pan Am Games in Toronto in 2015. He says trying to find good professionals to help with the organization of the Games has been one of his biggest challenges since taking over as COPAL president last October.

"We’ve managed to incorporate that into the team and now we have a good team of people and we are going to continue on," Neuhaus told ATR. "That’s going to help us."

Neuhaus added that remaining venue construction projects will begin this summer in July or August. The UK International Trade Ministry says its added expertise will help keep all of these projects "on time and on budget".

The knowledge-transfer and guidance from the UK will also extend into the areas of security and event management and will continue until the close of the Lima 2019 Pan Ams.

The 2019 edition of the event will run from July 26 to Aug. 11 followed by the Parapan American Games for 15 days at the end of August and into September. The official dates of the Parapan Ams have yet to be released.

Written by Kevin Nutley

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