Site Visit for 2011 Parapan American Games

This week, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) conducted a site inspection visit to the Organizing Committee of the Guadalajara 2011 Pan and Parapan American Games (COPAG).

IPC CEO Xavier Gonzalez and Executive Director Sport and IF Relations David Grevemberg were in the capital city of the Mexican state of Jalisco from 9-10 February to meet with COPAG officials to discuss the planning progress and determine the dates of the Games.

The Games will be held from 19-27 November 2011, with an expected 1,500 athletes from the Americas region to participate. A total of 12 sports were confirmed as feasible on the 2011 Parapan American Games programme, including Athletics, Boccia, Football 5-a-Side, Football 7-a-Side, Goalball, Judo, Powerlifting, Swimming, Table Tennis, Volleyball (Sitting), Wheelchair Basketball and Wheelchair Tennis.

A review was also conducted of the Games infrastructure, venues, image and communications, commercial, sports, village and technology. The potential competition venues that were visited included the U.D. Revolucion Sports Complex, U.D. Avila Camacho Sport Complex and the CODE Sports Complex.

“The IPC held a series of very extensive and positive meetings with the Guadalajara 2011 Organizing Committee during its first official site visit,” CEO Xavier Gonzalez said. “This meeting has allowed us to collectively layout the foundation for a quick development of the Guadalajara 2011 Parapan American Games project and has worked to further strengthen the relationship between the partners. A strong partnership is critical to ensuring the successful delivery of such a complex and extensive project.”

The Parapan American Games occur every four years. Guadalajara follows the Rio 2007 Parapan American Games, which had a total of 1,132 athletes from 25 countries competing. For the second time in history, the Parapan American Games will be held in the same city and same venues as the Pan American Games. The first Parapan American Games were held in Mexico City, Mexico, in 1999, while the second edition took place in Mar del Plata, Argentina, in 2003.