Members’ News

Panama.- The Executive Board of the Central American and Caribbean Sports Organization (CACSO), reported that the city of Santa Marta, capital of the department of Magdalena in Colombia, will host the First Central American and Caribbean Beach Games in 2022.

The announcement was made last Saturday, March 7, within the framework of the ordinary session of the organization, held at the Wyndham Panama Albrook Mall Hotel & Convention Center.

The decision was made after the Governor of the Magdalena department, Carlos Caicedo, and the Mayor of Santa Marta, Virna Johnson, presented the city’s credentials to support the candidacy.

Santa Marta was the only candidate city for these games.

“It is an important step that CACSO takes, given the geographic habitat where our associate members live”, said Luis Mejia, president of the regional body. “We will make innovations in these beach games and we have the enthusiasm and interest of the Santa Marta authorities”, Mejia continued.

On his side, Governor Caicedo did not hide the joy of projecting the department of Magdalena with the headquarters of the First Central American and Caribbean Games in Playa 2022, for the city of Santa Marta.

“We will make a monument from which the Central American and Caribbean flame of the Beach Games will forever set out in each version, while we are the first venue. The flags of Santa Marta, Magdalena, Colombia and ODECABE will permanently be placed”, said Governor Caicedo.

Meanwhile, the mayor of Santa Marta said she was very excited and very happy about ODECABE’s decision.

“We already have the experience of the Bolivarian Games, we already know how to organize international sports games and we will apply these experiences in 2022”, said Johnson.

“Santa Marta remains in the history of the Central American and Caribbean Beach Games, being the first city to host them and every four years whichever city wins the venue, they must come all the way here to light the cauldron”, said the mayor.

The I Central American and Caribbean Beach Games 2022 are scheduled to take place in November, which includes 14 sports and the participation of delegations from 37 countries.

CACSO President Luis Mejía plans to make his first visit to the city of Santa Marta in May.

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SANTA MARTA AND ODECABE AUTHORITIES

CACSO President, Luis Mejia conveyed his support of School Handball

SANTO DOMINGO. – The president of the Central American and Caribbean Sports Organization (CACSO), Mr. Luis Mejia Oviedo, expressed his support for school handball.

These statements were made this Saturday, February 1, during a visit of the Executive Committee of the North America and Caribbean Handball Confederation (NACHC) to the president of CACSO in the Dominican capital city.

This is one of the projects that the International Federation of this sport wishes to develop and Mr. Mejia as president of CACSO wishes to be an ally for the NACHC countries.

Mario Garcia de la Torre, president of NACHC, expressed thanks on behalf of the Executive Committee of this regional sports body, for the support expressed by the president of CACSO, Dominican Olympic Committee and member of the International Olympic Committee, for the development of school handball.

Garcia expressed: “We want you to be our voice in the Olympic movement,” he said.

“We will meet to draw up the plans to execute in relation to school handball, because we understand that this is the future of our sport and our athletes,” said the president of NORCA.

Miguel Rivera, president of the Dominican Handball Federation and Secretary General of NACHC, said: “School handball is more important for the Confederation than the national teams, because it guarantees a progressive development and growth for member countries,” he concluded.

The meeting was led by the president of CACSO and NACHC, Luis Mejia Oviedo, Dominican Republic and Mario Garcia de la Torre, from Mexico as well as the president of Creating Olympic Dreams (CRESO) businessman Felipe Vicini.

Among those present were the members of the NORCA Executive Committee, Vice President, Néstor Milete Echevarria, Secretary General, Miguel Rivera, Treasurer Felix Wilson, Carline Choute, President of the Women’s Commission; Cliff Williams, President of the Beach Handball Commission; and Llewlyn Harper, President of the Medical Commission as well as Franklyn Guevara, President of the Methods Commission; Kurt Lauritsen, Chairman of the Competitions Commission; and Francois Lebeau, President of the Game Rules and Referees Commission.

PANAM SPORTS STATEMENT ON TOKYO 2020

MEXICO CITY (March 24, 2020) — Given the current situation that the world is unfortunately facing with the Coronavirus pandemic that, according to the World Health Organization, is rapidly accelerating in both the number of cases and deaths throughout the world, the Panam Sports Executive Committee representing the 41 member nations of the Americas agreed on the following points in a video conference this afternoon:

a) Complete support for the decision taken by the International Olympic Committee and the Government and Sports authorities of Japan regarding the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games to 2021.

b) Above all else, the priority of Panam Sports will always be the health and well-being of our athletes.

c) We are aware of the serious problems that the Coronavirus is causing for all athletes and that it has not allowed them to train at the level that they are accustomed to. This affects both those who were still seeking to qualify for the Olympic Games as well as those who had already secured their place and dreamed of representing their country with the best preparation possible.

d) We call on all of the National Olympic Committees of the Americas, their leaders, coaches and, of course, their athletes to responsibly follow all the safety and health protocols of their respective countries’ authorities and of the World Health Organization in the face of this pandemic, so that we avoid the spread of the Coronavirus.

e) Panam Sports will maintain all of its aid programs for athletes, coaches and National Olympic Committees.

f) Once the new dates for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games are defined, Panam Sports will work together with the IOC, the International Federations, the NOCs and the athletes to be able to adjust their schedules for the competitions that follow, in particular the Junior Pan American Games of Cali 2021 that were scheduled between June 5-20.

Panam Sports hopes that this unfortunate pandemic will begin to diminish worldwide as the days go by and we can soon return to our normal activities, and wants to convey its full commitment to the entire Pan American family in the face of these circumstances as well as our unconditional support to our athletes in this difficult time we are all experiencing.

ABOUT PANAM SPORTS

The Pan American Sports Organization (Panam Sports) is the leader of sport and the Olympic Movement in the Americas. We propel the development of sport and support our 41 member National Olympic Committees to inspire more participation in international competitions as well as participation of the youth to prepare the generation to come in our region.

Panam Sports works closely with athletes, National Olympic Committees (NOC), Organizing Committees of all regional games, Pan American Sport Confederations, International Federations (IF) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to secure the success and celebration of our main event, the Pan American Games.

For the latest news and updates about Panam Sports, visit our website www.panamsports.org. Follow us on Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube @PanamSports

For more information, please contact:

Alejandro Goycoolea | Communications Director  | alejandro@panamsports.org
+56 994 081 884

Kevin Nutley | Communications Manager |  knutley@panamsports.org
+1 678 262 6612

March 9 2020

Editor CACSO 0

Panama. – The Executive Board of the Central American and Caribbean Sports Organization (CACSO) announced that León de Guanajuato and Santo Domingo last saturday March 7, presented formal nominations to host the Central American and Caribbean Games of 2026 and appointed Santa Marta, Colombia, as headquarters for the first Beach Games of the organization, which will be held in November 2022.

During the meeting held at the Wyndham Hotel in this city, the president of CACSO, Luis Mejia Oviedo, announced that the decision of the host city for the 2026 Games will be taken at the next General Assembly to be held on October 30, 2020 also here in Panama City.Mejia also informed that the Executive Board approved the formation of 11 work commissions, coordinated by the members of the Executive Board and integrated by representatives of all the National Olympic Committees of the CACSO countries.

“Our organization has changed and the shift towards integration is real. ¨We want all the countries working for the strengthening of CACSO and that through the work commissions, coordinated by the 11 members of our Executive Board, all initiatives that will boost the sport of our countries be promoted¨ said Mejia at the conclusion of the meeting that started at 8:00 Am., and lasted past 6:00 pm.

On the heels of the announcement of the work commissions and to inform of their implementation and operation, the Executive Board convened the 1st Summit of the CACSO work Commissions, which will be held at the end of May in Santa Marta to lay out the responsibilities and tasks of each of the commissions.As part of the extensive agenda, the CACSO financial statements and changes made in the organization’s personnel were approved, as was approved the continuance of work on a proposal to be submitted to the NOCs for a new identity and strategy of communication for the organization.

The Executive Board also decided to endorse the realization of the Caribbean Games of CANOC and the Central American Games of ORDECA to be held in 2021, the CANOC Games on the Island of Guadalupe and the ORDECA Games in the city of Santa Tecla in El Salvador.

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