Future Games organizers among those attending PASO General Assembly in Toronto from October 8-11
General Assembly sessions open to media. Pre-registration available now at [email protected]
TORONTO, Sept. 17, 2013 /CNW/ - Top officials from international sport federations, upcoming Olympic/Paralympic Games and National Olympic Committees from 41 countries are coming to Toronto next month for the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO) General Assembly meeting.
The who's who sports gathering — a first for Toronto — will involve an estimated 350 delegates led by PASO President Mario Vázquez Raña from October 8-11 at the Westin Harbour Castle hotel, located on the scenic Lake Ontario waterfront.
All PASO General Assembly sessions are open to media. Interested outlets are asked to register in advance by emailing [email protected].
Some of the highlights on the agenda of the PASO General Assembly in Toronto:
- A comprehensive update for PASO delegates by the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games Organizing Committee (TO2015), as well as future international Games' organizers on Thursday, October 10
- The election and announcement, on Friday, October 11, of the Host City for the 2019 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games. The competing cities are: La Punta, Argentina; Santiago, Chile; Lima, Peru; and Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela.
The TORONTO Pan Am 2015 Games, which open on July 10, 2015, will feature an estimated 6,000 athletes from 41 countries competing in 36 sports, including women's baseball and golf for the first time, in venues located in 15 municipalities in southern Ontario. Together with the Parapan Am Games, they will be the largest international multisport Games ever held in Canada.
An emotional highlight of the four-day PASO meeting will be when the vote for the 2019 host city is announced. High-profile delegations from the bid countries are expected to come to the General Assembly to whip up last-minute excitement and votes for their cities — after all, history will be made in Toronto.
Neither Peru nor Chile has hosted the Pan Am Games. What's more, none of the Bid Cities has staged back-to-back Pan Am and Parapan Am Games. (Rio in 2007 marked the first time the two regional multisport Games were held in the same city within weeks of each other).
Argentina has hosted three Pan Am Games: Mar del Plata in 1995, Buenos Aires in 1951 (the first-ever Pan Am Games) and the sole Winter Games in 1990 at Las Leñas. It also hosted the second Parapan Am Games in 2003 in Mar del Plata. Venezuela previously hosted the Pan Am Games in 1983 in Caracas.
Other highlights of the General Assembly include:
Tuesday, October 8
- Opening news conference with PASO President Mario Vázquez Raña, 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, October 9
- Opening Ceremony of the PASO General Assembly, 9:00 a.m.
- PASO General Assembly, 9:20 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 10
- TO2015 progress update and presentations by organizing committees of future Games, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Friday, October 11
- Presentations by the 2019 Bid Cities, 9:00 am to 1:00pm
- Vote for 2019 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games' Host City, 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Closing news conference with PASO President Mario Vázquez Raña, 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Event times are subject to change. All events at Westin Harbour Castle hotel unless otherwise stated. More details to come in early October.
For more information on PASO, visit www.toronto2015.org/lang/en/the-games/about-paso1.html.
About TO2015
The TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games Organizing Committee (TO2015) is tasked with the responsibility of planning, managing and delivering the Games. Its mission is to ignite the spirit through a celebration of sport and culture. The TORONTO 2015 Pan American Games will take place July 10−26 and the Parapan American Games August 7-14.
The 2015 Games are funded by the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, as well as other partners and sponsors. CIBC is the Lead Partner of the Games.
For more information about the Games, please visit TORONTO2015.org.
SOURCE: Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games
Teddy Katz
Director, media relations and chief spokesperson
TO2015
C: 647.404.5263
[email protected]
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