Whoever wins the presidential elections in Chile, the 2023 Pan American Games will not be threatened, according to Chilean Olympic authorities

The outcome of the presidential elections in Chile on December 19 will not negatively influence the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games, according to local Olympic authorities.

“I am very calm, whoever comes out President we will have the support for the Games,” the president of the Chilean Olympic Committee, engineer Miguel Angel Mujica, told Around The Rings.

In six days, José Antonio Kast, a 55-year-old lawyer considered ultraconservative, and Gabriel Boric, also a lawyer, 35 years old, representative of the hard left in alliance with the Communist Party, both with two radically opposed proposals for the country, will face each other in the second round.

Kast and Boric, in that order, led the first round of the elections of last November 21, in which seven candidates participated.

Mujica assures that all the presidential aspirants in their agenda had an important space for sports and showed “unanimous support” for the Pan American and Parapan American Games.

“They were all convinced that they would continue to support the mega-event to be the most important event in the history of Chilean sport,” said the Olympic director.

Mujica recalled that Santiago achieved the hosting of the Games during the second government of President Michelle Bachelet (2014-2018). The project received “great support” from her successor, Sebastián Piñera, in his second term that will run until March 11, 2022, when the next inauguration will take place.

According to reports over the past two years, preparations for the Games have not been jeopardized despite the effects of the pandemic, the financial crisis and massive demonstrations and social unrest.

This Monday, Piñera lead a ceremony at the Pan American Village, an activity pending due to the coronavirus pandemic around one of the crucial works of the Games.

Work to erect its 17 towers has been underway for two months. The Pan American Village is being built in the Cerillos Commune, on land where the old Santiago de Chile airport used to be, in the Bicentennial Park City.

After its use during the Games, its apartments will be converted into subsidized social housing. In this context, it is being considered that part of the apartments will be destined to Chilean medalists in the continental competition.

At the recent General Assembly of Panam Sports held during the First Pan American Junior Games in Cali, Colombia, Mujica accompanied his country’s sports minister and president of the Organizing Committee, Cecilia Perez, in the last annual presentation of the progress of Santiago 2023.

According to Chilean authorities, the investment earmarked for the mega-event is US$507 million, in addition to the amount contemplated for the construction of the Pan American and Parapan American Village, which will be executed through a US$150 million public-private financing model.

The investments will include the development of 9 sports infrastructure projects and the renovation of 64 hectares of green recreational sports areas, cycle paths, jogging circuits, exercise areas and new venues for competitive sports.

Chilean officials assured that despite the adversities, the sports budget has not been cut and a significant part of the resources have been allocated to the Games and to the construction of sports centers in communities where they are most needed.

For the organizers, it is essential that this great effort be complemented with a good number of medals from Chilean athletes.

After coming up blank in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic medal table, Chile raised its spirits in the laboratory that was Cali 2021 with 58 medals (12 gold, 15 silver and 31 bronze) for an eighth place in the overall ranking with 220 athletes, the same position achieved at the Pan American Games in Lima in 2019.

In the Peruvian capital, Chile conquered its largest harvest of golds (13) and medals (50) in its history.

“In Santiago 2023 we are going to have a good representation” says Mujica.

“Lima 2019 left us with a high standard, but I have no doubt that we will surpass it”.

The Olympic leader argues that for the continental event in two years the host country can count on up to 700 athletes, more than double its competitors in the previous Games.

The program for Santiago 2023, starting on October 20, contemplates 38 sports and 57 disciplines in the case of the Pan American Games and 17 sports in 18 disciplines in the Parapan American Games.

To another question, the COCH president did not rule out the possibility of a postulation of his country for the II Junior Pan American Games in 2025, for which Panam Sports has not yet defined the venue, although he anticipated that Brazil and Mexico have shown interest.

“Chile could also be an alternative. I have not discussed it with the government. Of course, after 2023 we will come out stronger in terms of infrastructure,” he reflects.

Apparently, a presumed interest for a new sports commitment of this magnitude should wait for next March with the arrival of a new Cabinet.

The candidate cities for the II Continental Games up to 23 years will be defined in a General Assembly of Panam Sports precisely in Santiago de Chile, at the beginning of next September.