Pan American Sports Organization
Countries with one or more members are in green
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Formation | 1940 |
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Type | Sports federation |
Headquarters | Mexico City, Mexico |
Membership
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41 National Olympic Committees |
Official language
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English, Spanish |
President
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Julio César Maglione |
Website | paso-odepa.org |
The Pan American Sports Organization (acronym: PASO); (Spanish: Organización Deportiva Panamericana, Portuguese: Organização Desportiva Pan-Americana ODEPA; French: Organisation Sportive Pan-Américaine OSPA) is an international organization which represents the current 41 National Olympic Committees of the North American and South American continents.
It is affiliated with the International Olympic Committee and its affiliated bodies, including ANOC, the Association of National Olympic Committees, and serves as the continental association of the Americas.
The organization's foremost event is the quadrennial Pan American Games, held since 1951. The Parapan American Games was inaugurated in 1999 for disabled athletes and is held alongside the able-bodied Pan American Games. The Pan American Winter Games, for winter sports, was held only once in 1990. The Pan American Sports Festival was inaugurated in 2014 as a developmental event for the region's athletes.
Contents
Affiliated organizations[edit]
There are four other organisations affiliated to the Pan American Sports Organization, they are:
- ODESUR – organisers of the South American Games
- CASCO – organisers of the Central American and Caribbean Games
- ORDECA – organisers of the Central American Games
- ODEBO – organisers of the Bolivarian Games
Exclusion of indigenous sports[edit]
Despite criticisms that the Ulama or Mesoamerican Ballgame and Lacrosse[1][2] are not included in the program of the Pan American Games, the number of countries enrolled in its member associations is not enough because 14 are needed to have it included in the Games. For example, nowadays, there are 4 nations as effective members of Federation of International Lacrosse (Bermuda,Canada, The United States and Iroquois). However, the Iroquois nation is not a member of PASO. On the other hand, there are seven associate members of the Federation of International Lacrosse (Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico and Peru). Thus, there are eleven nations members of FIL, still not enough to include the sports in the Pan Am Games. Lacrosse is recognized by Sports Accord and by the International Olympic Committee. However the same thing does not occur with ulama, which inhibits its participation in the Pan American Games. It is likely that lacrosse will be included when more American nations start practicing it. Besides, the Lacrosse Copa America was created, and the first one was played in Mexico in 2015.
Flag[edit]
Just like the International Olympic Committee, the Pan American Sports Organization has its own flag. The flag has the four words, "América", "Espírito", "Sports" and "Fraternité", each respectively in one of the four official languages of the organization, namely Spanish, Portuguese, English and French. Also, on the flag is a torch along with the Olympic Rings and five circles with the official colours of the Olympics on a white background. Finally, the words PASO and ODEPA are written to indicate the organization the flag represents.
Member countries[edit]
In the following table, the year in which the NOC was recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is also given if it is different from the year in which the NOC was created.
Former member: Netherlands Antilles Olympic Committee
There are three area not a part of PASO as they are not independent nations:
- Saint Pierre and Miquelon is a self-governing overseas territory of France and not a country.
- French Guiana is not a member of PASO as it is an Overseas department of France and not a country. It is the only area of South America not involved.
- Greenland is an autonomous country within Denmark and politically associated with Europe is the only North American country not involved in PASO.
PASO Presidents[edit]
S. No. | Name | Country | Tenure |
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1. | Mr. Avery Brundage | United States | 1940 - 1951 |
2. | Mr. José de Jesús Clark Flores | Mexico | 1951 - 1955 |
3. | Mr. Doug Roby | United States | 1955 - 1959 |
4. | Mr. José de Jesús Clark Flores | Mexico | 1959 - 1971 |
5. | Mr. Sylvio de Magalhaes Padilha1 | Brazil | 1971 - 1971 |
6. | Mr. José Beracasa | Venezuela | 1971 - 1975 |
7. | Mr. Mario Vázquez Raña | Mexico | 1975 - 2015 |
8. | Mr. Ivar Sisniega | Mexico | 2015 - 2015 |
9. | Mr. Julio César Maglione | Uruguay | 11th April 2015 - Till Date |
^1 Served as acting president for two months until new election.
PASO Athlete's Commission[edit]
In 2011 a new PASO Athlete's commission was formed. Former Canadian Rhythmic Gymnast and multiple time Pan American Games gold medalist Alexandra Orlando was selected the president of the commission. The commission will be made up of seven athletes (5 current and 2 former) with two being reserved for non-Olympic sports.[3][4]
Member | Country | Since | Pan American Games Participation |
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Alexandra Orlando | Canada | 2011 | 2003–2007 |
Mijaín López | Cuba | 2011 | 2003–2011 |
Samyr Laine | Haiti | 2011 | 2003–2011 |
Andrea Estrada | Guatemala | 2011 | 2011 |
Guillermo Perez | Mexico | 2011 | 2011 |
Pedro Causil | Colombia | 2011 | 2011 |
Shannon Nishi | United States | 2011 | 2011 |
Accession of countries per games[edit]
Games | Host | Accession Countries | Total |
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I | Buenos Aires | Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela. | 21 |
II | Mexico City | Bahamas, Canada, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico. | 4 |
III | Chicago | Guyana, Netherlands Antilles. | 2 |
IV | São Paulo | Barbados. | 1 |
V | Winnipeg | Belize, Bolivia, Bermuda, Virgin Islands. | 4 |
VI | Cali | - | 0 |
VII | Mexico City | Honduras. | 1 |
VIII | San Juan | Antigua and Barbuda. | 1 |
IX | Caracas | British Virgin Islands, Suriname. | 2 |
X | Indianapolis | Aruba, Cayman Islands, Grenada. | 3 |
XI | Havana | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. | 1 |
XII | Mar de Plata | Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia. | 3 |
XIII | Winnipeg | - | 0 |
XIV | Santo Domingo | - | 0 |
XV | Rio de Janeiro | - | 0 |
XVI | Guadalajara | - | 0 |
XVII | Toronto | - | - |
XVIII | Lima | Future | - |
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Nahwegahbow, Barb (2014). "Aboriginal pavilion will tell “our story” our way". AMMSA.
- ^ Windle, Jim (February 4, 2015). "Six Nations announces participation in Pan-Am Games". The Two Rows Times.
- ^ "Alexandra Orlando elected president of PASO Athletes' Commission". March 8, 2012.
- ^ Athlete's commission
External links[edit]
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