The National and Paranational Games of 2023 in the Eje Cafetero they do not escape their history. Nine months after its inauguration, there are several problems that the organizing committee is experiencing, real headaches that put the organization of the event against the wall.
Manizales, Pereira and Armenia They are the cities that carry the greatest weight in the realization of the Games that today present many delays in their works and that endanger the fulfillment of the schedules.
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Until about two weeks ago, the Games had no director and time was pressing. The Minister of SportMaria Isabel Urrutianamed Balthazar Medina, sports man, who knows the background of the situation and who has soaked up the subject.
Medina, who was in charge of the Colombian Olympic Committee (COC)will be accompanied in the sub-directorate of the Games by Andrés Rendón, all with the aim of moving them forward.
The Director knows that the fight is against time, that the works are behind schedule and a period of three months has been given to work and analyze the options for changing venues, if the work schedule is not met.
Medina spoke with TIME and he was emphatic in affirming that his hand will not tremble to make transcendental determinations with the objective of carrying out the fair ones.
What is the present of the Games?
They are taking their own dynamics and with the intensity in critical issues to be able to make exact calculations. It is necessary to be very clear about the schedules for the completion of works, all in order to take possible solutions, if they cannot be met.
How are the works?
There are works that are too critical. The aquatic complex, the multipurpose coliseums, the athletics track, which is the king of sports and the essence of the Games, the discipline in which the largest number of athletes compete and any failure would affect everything.
Is it the most complicated at the moment?
The system resources management already has the entire works schedule. You have to follow it, it’s a timeline. It is necessary to establish percentages of advances to reach 100 percent at the stage required for the bet on the point of the athletics scenario.
And if the work is not finished?
If that happens we have to take the athletics of the coffee axis, from Armenia to Cali.
Antioquia and Tolima showed interest in holding the Games, is that viable?
I have to admit that the people of Tolima and Antioquia offered to support us, but the only option we have is to make an effort to comply.
And the other sports in suspense?
The other venues will be in the process of being remodeled, such as the skating rink, the BMX track that will be built in Armenia, this is a four-month project. The idea is to order the smaller coliseums and combat sports, table tennis and other disciplines that do not require equipped spaces will be programmed there.
What about the aquatic complex?
We intend to divide this sport, which is why we are concentrating on the aquatic complexes of Manizales and Pereira. If the project advances, everything is maintained, but if we see that the works are lagging and do not advance, we will concentrate that sport in the city that presents the greatest progress to do everything in one part.
It all looks very complicated…
It’s complicated, but I’m optimistic. There is a great commitment from the Ministry, the resources are assigned and that is an issue in favor. Contracts are made for other works and local governors and mayors are committed to collaborate.
Everything about the time can generate failures…
What we are looking for is to align all the interests in a single purpose, which is to carry out the Games. It is the greatest sporting event in the country and cannot be faulted for quality.
Can the Games be moved to another region?
The Games will be held in the coffee region. Some offered help, but it will be done in the axis.
Is the idea of postponing them contemplated?
The Games do do. The fundamental letter does not admit that they are postponed, the law says the date on which they are made. I thought about that option, but they made me that consideration and there is nothing to do.
What is the deadline to find out if some sports are moving venues?
We have to set the date to look at the issue of the scenarios. The delegations have to specify hotels with public resources, if it is contracted in one city and done in another it causes a serious problem. I think that this date is decided by the committee, but I would think it cannot be after the month of May.
Is there something positive in all this?
The issue of the Government’s commitment to the Games. There will be good quality jousts and the interest of mayors and governors is that.
What is the biggest enemy of the Games?
Winter, out of schedule. If interruptions are added to the work, that is a variable that cannot be calculated, but it does have an effect.
Why was there a change of ages in some sports at the last minute?
There is a legal confusion. The fundamental letter of the Games says that they are of an open category. I would understand that when talking about open it is because there is no age limit. There are those who say that open is that you have the freedom to choose the category and I do not agree. It is valid that some federations establish age limits.
But that’s a problem for some departments…
This refers to the fact that some athletes already have the acquired right to play the Games, they have already qualified, in the case of volleyball, and the Ministry says that there is no problem. If a department wants to take their athletes in a limited category, for whatever reason or respect the athletes who got their place, they can do it. But it must be clarified that the classification and participation in team sports is numerical and not nominal.
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Lisandro Rengifo
Editor of EL TIEMPO
@lisandroabel
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