Pan American Games

For the most recent games, held in Lima, see 2019 Pan American Games.

Pan American Games
Official logo of the Games
Games
1951 1955 1959 1963 1967 1971 1975 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023

Pan American Games

Abbreviation	Pan Am Games
First event	1951 Pan American Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Occur every	four years
Last event	2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru
Next event	2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile
Purpose	Multi-sport event for nations on the American continents

The Pan American Games (also known colloquially as the Pan Am Games) is a major sporting event in the Americas featuring summer sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The competition is held among athletes from nations of the Americas, every four years in the year before the Summer Olympic Games. The only Winter Pan American Games were held in 1990. In 2021, there will be a Junior Pan American Games for young athletes. The Pan American Sports Organization (PASO) is the governing body of the Pan American Games movement, whose structure and actions are defined by the Olympic Charter.

The XVIII Pan American Games were held in Lima from July 26–August 11, 2019; the XIX Pan American Games will be held in Santiago between 20 October-5 November, 2023. Since the XV Pan American Games in 2007, host cities are contracted to manage both the Pan American and the Parapan American Games, in which athletes with physical disabilities compete with one another. The Parapan American Games are held immediately following the Pan American Games.

The Pan American Games Movement consists of international sports federations (IFs), National Olympic Committees (NOCs) that are recognized by PASO, and organizing committees for each specific Pan American Games. As the decision-making body, PASO is responsible for choosing the host city for each Pan American Games. The host city is responsible for organizing and funding a celebration of the Games consistent with the Olympic Charter (since PASO is affiliated with the IOC, the Olympic Charter) and rules. The Pan American Games program, consisting of the sports to be contested at the Games, is determined by PASO. The celebration of the Games encompasses many rituals and symbols, such as the flag and torch, and the opening and closing ceremonies. Over 5,000 athletes compete at the Pan American Games in 36 sports and nearly 400 events. The first, second, and third-place finishers in each event receive gold, silver, and bronze medals, respectively.

History

Early games

The idea of holding a Pan American Games was first raised at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, where Latin American representatives of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) suggested that a competition among all the countries in the Americas should be created. The first event called the Pan American Games took place in Dallas in 1937 as part of the Greater Texas & Pan-American Exposition, but it attracted so little attention it has never counted in the records of the competition.

At the first Pan American Sports Congress, held in Buenos Aires in 1940, the participants decided that the first games should be held in Buenos Aires in 1942. The plans had to be postponed because of World War II. A second Pan American Sports Congress held in London during the 1948 Summer Olympics reconfirmed Buenos Aires as the choice of host city for the inaugural games, which were held in 1951. The games offered 18 sports. Countries that were part of the Commonwealth of Nations such as Canada did not compete at the first Pan American Games. The second games were held in Mexico City, Mexico. Competitions started on March 12 and included 2,583 athletes from 22 countries, competing in 17 sports. The Pan American Games have been held subsequently every four years.

Recent games

The welcome centre at the 2015 Pan American Games athletes' village.

While the inaugural 1951 Games hosted 2,513 participants representing 14 nations, the most recent 2015 Pan American Games involved 6,132 competitors from 41 countries. During the games most athletes and officials are housed in the Pan American Games village. This village is intended to be a self-contained home for all the participants. It is furnished with cafeterias, health clinics, and locations for religious expression.

PASO allows nations to compete that do not meet the strict requirements for political sovereignty that other international organizations demand. As a result, colonies and dependencies are permitted to set up their own National Olympic Committees. Examples of this include territories such as Puerto Rico and Bermuda which compete as separate nations despite being legally under the jurisdiction of another power.

Winter Pan American Games

Main article: 1990 Winter Pan American Games

Las Leñas, Argentina, hosted the only Pan American Winter Games.

There have been attempts to hold Winter Pan American Games throughout the history of the games, but these have had little success. An initial attempt to hold winter events was made by the organizers of the 1951 Pan American Games in Buenos Aires, who planned to stage winter events later in the year but dropped the idea due to lack of interest. Reliable winter snow in the Americas is limited to two countries, the United States and Canada. Andean winter weather is often fickle, and higher elevation areas in South America with annual snow often lack the infrastructure to host major sporting events. Another difficulty is that the Americas cover two hemispheres, which creates scheduling issues related to reverse seasons.

Lake Placid, New York tried to organize Winter Games in 1959 but, again, not enough countries expressed interest. The plans were eventually cancelled.

In 1988, members of PASO voted to hold the first Pan American Winter Games at Las Leñas, Argentina in September 1989. It was further agreed that Winter Games would be held every four years. Lack of snow however, forced the postponement of the games until September 16–22, 1990 when only eight countries sent 97 athletes to Las Leñas. Of that total, 76 were from just three countries: Argentina, Canada, and the United States. Weather was unseasonably warm and again there was little snow, so only three Alpine Skiing events – the Slalom, Giant Slalom, and Super G were staged. The United States and Canada won all 18 medals.

PASO awarded the second Pan American Winter Games to Santiago, Chile for 1993. The United States warned that it would not take part unless a full schedule of events was held. The Santiago organizing committee eventually gave up on planning the Games after the United States Olympic Committee declined to participate, and the idea has not been revived since.

Junior Pan American Games

Main article: 2021 Junior Pan American Games

On January 16, 2019 PASO announced the creation of the Junior Pan American Games. This event, inspired by the Youth Olympic Games, is exclusive for athletes who are under 21 years of age, with less requirements on infrastructure and cost.

For the first edition of the games, Panam Sports accepted candidate cities until January 31. Cali, Colombia, Santa Ana, El Salvador and Monterrey, Mexico were accepted as candidate cities. Cali, Colombia was chosen as the host city at the Executive Committee in San José, Costa Rica on March 27, 2019.

Pan American Sports Organization

Main article: Panam Sports

The Pan American Games Movement encompasses a number of national and international sporting organizations and federations, recognized media partners, athletes, officials, judges, and every other person and institution that agrees to abide by the rules of the Olympic Charter (which is the same as PASO's charter). As the umbrella organization of the Olympic Movement, PASO is responsible for selecting the host city, overseeing the planning of the Pan American Games, updating and approving the sports program, and negotiating sponsorship and broadcasting rights.

The Pan American Games Movement is made of three major elements:

• International Federations (IFs) are the governing bodies that supervise a sport at an international level. For example, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) is the IF for football (soccer), and the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) is the international governing body for volleyball. There are currently 36 IFs in the Pan American Games Movement, representing each of the Pan American Games sports.
• National Olympic Committees (NOCs) represent and regulate the Pan American Games movement within each country. For example, the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) is the NOC of the United States. There are currently 41 NOCs recognized by PASO.
• Organizing Committees for the Pan America Games (PAOGs) constitute the temporary committees responsible for the organization of a specific celebration of the Pan American Games. PAOGs are dissolved after each Games, once the final report is delivered to PASO.

Spanish and English are the official languages of the Pan American Games Movement. The other language used at each Pan American Games is the language of the host country. For example: at the 2007 Pan American Games who was held in Brazil, the first language was Brazilian Portuguese. Every proclamation (such as the announcement of each country during the parade of nations in the opening ceremony) is spoken in these three languages or the main two depending on whether the host country is an English or Spanish speaking country.

Symbols

The Pan American Games torch being lit in Teotihuacan.

The Pan American Games Movement uses symbols to represent the ideals embodied in the Pan American Games charter. The Pan American Sports Organization flag displays the PASO logo on a white background. To highlight the close association between the International Olympic Committee and the Pan Am Games, the Olympic Rings were added to the flag in 1988. The flag has been hoisted during each celebration of the Games. The flag was hoisted while the Olympic Hymn was played until the 2007 Games. In 2011 Games, the new anthem was played for the first time. The anthem itself was composed in 2008.

Similar to the Olympic flame, the Pan American Games flame is lit well before the Games are to commence. The flame was lit for the first games in Olympia, Greece. For subsequent games, the torch has been lit by Aztec people in ancient temples, first in the Cerro de la Estrella and later in the Pyramid of the Sun at the Teotihuacan Pyramids. The only exception was for the São Paulo games in 1963, when the torch was lit in Brasília by the indigenous Guaraní people. An Aztec then lights the torch of the first relay bearer, thus initiating the Pan American Games torch relay that will carry the flame to the host city's main stadium, where it plays an important role in the opening ceremony. Since 2011, the flame is required to be held during the games in the stadium which will host the athletics competition. If the Opening ceremony and athletics competition will be held in different stadiums, the flame will be required to move from one stadium to the other. Exceptions occurred in the 1987, 1999 and 2007 Games, each of which had only one cauldron.

The Pan American Games mascot, an animal or human figure representing the cultural heritage of the host country, was introduced in 1979 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It has played an important part on the Games identity and promotion. The mascot of the most recent Pan American Games, in Lima, was Milco, an Inca statue.

List of Games mascots:

• San Juan 1979: Coqui (frog)
• Caracas 1983: Santiaguito (lion)
• Indianapolis 1987: Amigo (green parrot)
• Havana 1991: Tocopan (bird)
• Mar del Plata 1995: Lobi (sea lion)
• Winnipeg 1999: Duck and Lorita (ducks)
• Santo Domingo 2003: Tito (manatee)
• Rio de Janeiro 2007: Cauê (sun)
• Guadalajara 2011: Huichi (deer), Gavo (agave plant) and Leo (lion)
• Toronto 2015: Pachi (porcupine)
• Lima 2019: Milco (statue)

Ceremonies

Main article: Pan American Games ceremony

Opening

As mandated by the Olympic Charter, various elements frame the opening ceremony of the Pan American Games. The ceremony typically starts with the hoisting of the host country's flag and a performance of its national anthem. The host nation then presents artistic displays of music, singing, dance, and theater representative of its culture and history. The artistic presentations have grown in scale and complexity as successive hosts attempt to provide a ceremony that outlasts its predecessor's in terms of memorability. The opening ceremony of the Guadalajara Games reportedly cost $20 million, with much of the cost incurred in the artistic segment.

After the artistic portion of the ceremony, the athletes parade into the stadium grouped by nation. Argentina is traditionally the first nation to enter in order to honor the origins of the Pan American Games, similar to how Greece enters first in the Olympic Games as the originator. Nations usually then enter the stadium alphabetically according to the Spanish language. During the 1995 Pan American Games, which was hosted in Mar del Plata, Argentina, the Argentine flag entered the stadium first, while the country's delegation entered last (similar to what happened with Greece in the 2004 Summer Olympics). Speeches are given, formally opening the Games. Finally, the Pan American Games torch is brought into the stadium and passed on until it reaches the final torch carrier—often a well-known and successful athlete from the host nation—who lights the Pan American Games flame in the stadium's cauldron.

Closing

Athletes gather in the stadium during the closing ceremony of the 2007 Pan American Games.

The closing ceremony of the Pan American Games takes place after all sporting events have concluded. Flag-bearers from each participating country enter the stadium, followed by the athletes who enter together, without any national distinction.

Two national flags along with the flag of PASO are hoisted while the corresponding national anthems are played: the flag of the current host country and the flag of the country hosting the next Pan American Games. The president of the organizing committee and the president of PASO make their closing speeches, the Games are officially closed, and the Pan American Games family is invited to participate at the next Games. The Pan American flame is then extinguished. In what is known as the Antwerp Ceremony, the mayor of the city that organized the Games transfers a special Pan American Games flag to the president of PASO, who then passes it on to the mayor of the city hosting the next Games. After these compulsory elements, the next host nation briefly introduces itself with artistic displays of dance and theater representative of its culture. The closing ceremony includes a fifteen-minute presentation from the next host city.

Medal presentation

A medal ceremony during the 1987 Pan American Games in Indianapolis.

At the conclusion of each event, medals are ceremoniously distributed to the first, second and third-place finishers. The participants stand a three-tiered podium while receiving their medals. After the medals are given out by an IOC or PASO member, the national flags of the three medalists are raised while the national anthem of the gold medalist's country plays. Volunteering citizens of the host country act as hosts during the medal ceremonies, as they aid the officials who present the medals and act as flag-bearers. For every Pan American Games event, the respective medal ceremony is held, at most, one day after the event's final. When athletics was scheduled for the last days, the men's marathon is held in the last day of the games, and the award ceremony is held before or during the closing ceremonies.

Sports

Main article: Pan American Games sports

Athletics has been held at all seventeen editions of the Pan American Games. Pictured here is the 10,000 metres event for men at the 2015 edition in Toronto

Sport Years Archery Since 1971 Artistic Swimming 1955,1971,1979–present Athletics Since 1951 Badminton Since 1995 Bodybuilding Only 2019 Bowling Since 1995 Boxing Since 1951 Baseball Since 1951 Basketball Since 1951 Basque Pelota 1995, 2003, 2011, 2019 Canoeing Since 1987 Cycling Since 1951 Diving Since 1951 Equestrian 1951-1955, 1963-1971, 1979- Fencing 1951-1955, 1963-1971, 1979- Field Hockey Since 1967 Football Since 1951 Futsal Only 2007 Gymnastics Since 1951 Golf Since 2015 Handball Since 1987 Judo 1963-1967, 1975 - Karate Since 1995 Modern Pentathlon 1951-1963,1987-

Sport Years Open water swimming Since 2015 Polo 1951 Racquetball 1991-2003,2011- Roller Sports 1979, 1987 - Rowing Since 1951 Rugby Sevens Since 2011 Sailing 1951-1971,1979- Sambo 1983 Shooting Since 1951 Softball 1979 Squash 1995- Surfing 2019- Swimming Since 1951 Table Tennis 1979- Taekwondo 1987- Tennis 1951-1967,1979- Triathlon Since 1995 Volleyball Since 1955 Water polo 1951-1971,1987- Water skiing 1995- Weightlifting Since 1951 Wrestling Since 1951

Champions and medalists

Further information: Category:Pan American Games medalists and All-time Pan American Games medal table

Swimmer Thiago Pereira of Brazil has a record 23 Pan American medals. Here he holds a gold medal during the 2007 edition.

The athletes or teams who place first, second, or third in each event receive medals. The winners receive gold medals, while the runners-up receive silver medals and the third-place athletes are awarded bronze medals. In events contested by a single-elimination tournament (most notably boxing), third place might not be determined and both semifinal losers receive bronze medals. PASO does not keep statistics of medals won, but National Olympic Committees and the media record medal statistics as a measure of success.

The top ten nations all time at the Pan American Games (minus medals won at the Winter Pan American Games):

Summer Pan American Games

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	United States	2064	1542	1107	4713
2	Cuba	908	620	596	2124
3	Canada	491	721	855	2067
4	Brazil	384	402	590	1376
5	Argentina	326	366	468	1160
6	Mexico	258	324	565	1147
7	Colombia	136	170	262	568
8	Venezuela	102	220	296	618
9	Chile	57	110	169	336
10	Dominican Republic	39	76	129	244
Totals (10 entries)		4765	4551	5037	14353

Winter Pan American Games

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	United States	4	2	5	11
2	Canada	2	4	1	7
Totals (2 entries)		6	6	6	18

• Record
  Summer Pan American Games 1995 United States, 424 medals

List of Pan American Games

Map of Pan American Games locations (host cities in red dots). Countries that have hosted one Pan Am Games are shaded green, while countries that have hosted two or more are shaded blue.

The host city for a Pan American Games is usually chosen six years ahead of their celebration. The process of selection is carried out in two phases that span a two-year period. The prospective host city applies to its country's Olympic Committee; if more than one city from the same country submits a proposal to its NOC, the national committee typically holds an internal selection, since only one city per NOC can be presented to the Pan American Sports Organization for consideration. Once the deadline for submission of proposals by the NOCs is reached, the first phase (Application) begins with the applicant cities asked to complete a questionnaire regarding several key criteria related to the organization of the Pan American Games Games. In this form, the applicants must give assurances that they will comply with the Olympic Charter and with any other regulations established by PASO's Executive Committee. The evaluation of the filled questionnaires by a specialized group provides PASO with an overview of each applicant's project and their potential to host the Games. On the basis of this technical evaluation, PASO's Executive Board selects the applicants that will proceed to the candidature stage.

Once the candidate cities are selected, they must submit to PASO a bigger and more detailed presentation of their project as part of a candidature file. Each city is thoroughly analyzed by an evaluation commission. This commission will visit the candidate cities, interviewing local officials and inspecting prospective venue sites, and submit a report on its findings one month before the PASO's final decision. During the interview process the candidate city must guarantee that it will be able to fund the Games. After the work of the evaluation commission, a list of candidates is presented to the General Session of PASO, which is assembled in a country that must not have a candidate city in the running. The members of PASO gathered in the Session have the final vote on the host city. Once elected, the host city bid committee (together with the NOC of the respective country) signs a Host City Contract with PASO, officially becoming a Pan American Games host nation and host city.

The Pan American Games have been hosted by 16 cities in 11 countries. Mexico and Canada have hosted three Pan American Games each, more than any other nation. Among cities, only Winnipeg and Mexico City have played host to the Pan American Games more than once, each hosting twice.

1951

1955,1975

1959

1963

1967,1999

1971

1979

1983

1987

1991

1995

2003

2007

2011

2015

2019

2023

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Host cities of the Pan American Games

Edition	Year	Host City	Host Nation	Opened by	Start Date	End Date	Nations	Competitors	Sports	Events	Top Placed Team
I	1951	Buenos Aires	Argentina	President Juan Domingo Perón	February 25	March 9	21	2,513	18	140	Argentina (ARG)
II	1955	Mexico City	Mexico	President Adolfo Ruiz Cortines	March 12	March 26	22	2,583	17	146	United States (USA)
III	1959	Chicago	United States	Milton S. Eisenhower	August 27	September 7	25	2,263	15	166	United States (USA)
IV	1963	São Paulo	Brazil	Adhemar de Barros	April 20	5 May	22	1,665	19	160	United States (USA)
V	1967	Winnipeg	Canada	Prince Philip	July 23	August 6	29	2,361	19	169	United States (USA)
VI	1971	Cali	Colombia	President Misael Pastrana Borrero	July 30	August 13	32	2,935	17	164	United States (USA)
VII	1975	Mexico City	Mexico	President Luis Echeverría	October 12	October 26	33	3,146	19	190	United States (USA)
VIII	1979	San Juan	Puerto Rico	Carlos Romero Barceló	July 1	July 15	34	3,700	21	249	United States (USA)
IX	1983	Caracas	Venezuela	President Luis Herrera Campins	August 14	August 29	36	3,426	22	249	United States (USA)
X	1987	Indianapolis	United States	Vice-President George H. W. Bush	August 7	August 23	38	4,360	27	296	United States (USA)
XI	1991	Havana	Cuba	President Fidel Castro	August 2	August 18	39	4,519	28	331	Cuba (CUB)
XII	1995	Mar del Plata	Argentina	President Carlos Menem	March 12	March 26	42	5,144	34	408	United States (USA)
XIII	1999	Winnipeg	Canada	Governor General Roméo LeBlanc	July 23	August 8	42	5,083	34	330	United States (USA)
XIV	2003	Santo Domingo	Dominican Republic	President Hipólito Mejía	August 1	August 17	42	5,223	34	338	United States (USA)
XV	2007	Rio de Janeiro	Brazil	Carlos Arthur Nuzman	July 13	July 29	42	5,633	33	331	United States (USA)
XVI	2011	Guadalajara	Mexico	President Felipe Calderón	October 14	October 30	42	5,996	36	361	United States (USA)
XVII	2015	Toronto	Canada	Governor General David Johnston	July 10	July 26	41	6,132	36	364	United States (USA)
XVIII	2019	Lima	Peru	President Martín Vizcarra	July 26	August 11	41	6,668	39	419	United States (USA)
XIX	2023	Santiago	Chile		October 20	November 5	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD

Participating nations

All 41 countries whose National Olympic Committee is recognized by the Pan American Sports Organization compete at the Pan American Games.

•  Antigua and Barbuda
•  Argentina
•  Aruba
•  Bahamas
•  Barbados
•  Belize
•  Bermuda
•  Bolivia
•  Brazil
•  British Virgin Islands
•  Canada
•  Cayman Islands
•  Chile
•  Colombia
•  Costa Rica
•  Cuba
•  Dominica
•  Dominican Republic
•  Ecuador
•  El Salvador
•  Grenada
•  Guatemala
•  Guyana
•  Haiti
•  Honduras
•  Jamaica
•  Mexico
•  Nicaragua
•  Panama
•  Paraguay
•  Peru
•  Puerto Rico
•  Saint Kitts and Nevis
•  Saint Lucia
•  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
•  Suriname
•  Trinidad and Tobago
•  United States
•  Uruguay
•  Venezuela
•  Virgin Islands

See also

• Olympic Games
• Parapan American Games
• World Games
• Commonwealth Games
• Central American and Caribbean Games
• Central American Games

External links

• Poster Images from the Pan American Games from 1951 to 1999
• Guadalajara 2011 Games
• Toronto 2015 Games
• History of Pan American Games on ISHOF Website, 2013.
• Pan American Games on ESPN Deportes