The Colombian president and a conflict greater than that of Barranquilla 2027

Despite what some may suppose, the Pan American Games are not mini Olympic games. Just to begin with, the regional tournament that brings together athletes from North, Central and South America has the best possible representation in only a few disciplines. Probably the best example in this regard is that rarely do countries such as the United States, Canada or Brazil send their main delegations to mother events such as athletics, swimming or gymnastics.

However, PanamSports, the entity that groups the region’s Olympic Committees and real owner of these events, has recently achieved significant growth in the availability of Olympic seats for those who occupy privileged classifications in many of the competitions.

Just as the records obtained in athletics or swimming in Santiago 2023 were approved for Paris 2024, there was a record of more than 20 sports in which champions, finalists and even semifinalists in those disciplines won on Chilean soil a ticket for the games next July and August.

This is, in many cases, the lure that guarantees not only important presences but, above all, high competitive quality in certain specialties. Without going any further, the men’s tennis tournament had several winners of ATP or Challengers titles in its main draw.

In the last few hours, the 2027 Pan American Games were back in the news and not in the best way. A few weeks ago, it was announced that Panam Sports was taking its organization away from the Colombian city of Barranquilla due to a series of breaches of the contract between the city, the country and the parent body of the games.

As with other officials in the region, Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s response was to hold Panam Sports responsible for what they consider to be an excessive desire for money. While the conflict led to the departure of Astrid Rodríguez as Sports Minister and in a letter to the president asking for more support for the specialty signed, among others, by the soccer player Faustino Asprilla and the mega-athletics champion Caterine Ibarguén, Pan-American sources already point to Lima or Asunción as alternative venues.

On the one hand, it seems that the advantage would be in favour for Paraguayans, since it would be an anomaly for the Pan-American Games to return to the Peruvian capital just eight years after the 2019 games.

On the other hand, although the organization has never been restored to a city from which it has been taken away, there is speculation that the Colombian premier will travel to meet with the head of the entity, the Chilean Neven Ilic, whom he comes from being harshly criticized. The intention would be to reverse the situation not without first negotiating an adjustment to the agreed budget. We’ll see.