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CONCACAF Approves Football (Soccer) - To Be Held in Venezuela

JULY 17, 2010

After celebrating an ordinary assembly, the president of the Central American and Caribbean Sports Organization (CACSO) announced that CONCACAF (the Central American Football Confederation) approved that Venezuela can be entrusted with the duties necessary to hold the Football competition as a sub-site.

"To my surprise, just a few minutes ago we were given the go ahead," Cardona expressed. However, he added that he still did not understand why the local facilities were deemed inadequate.

Cardona added, "thankfully, the Venezuelan Olympic Committee was willing to aid us, even the President of the Republic of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, was in agreement as long as CONCACAF would approve, so the participating countries would not be sanctioned."

Female Aquatic Polo Survives

Some additional issues that worried some of the sports leaders of the country were also discussed during the congress.

Among those, it was explained that the female Aquatic Polo events (for which only four countries registered), suffered from the withdrawal of Trinidad and Tobabo, which made attendants fearful that the event would be canceled as the rules state that an event can't be celebrated if it has fiewer than for competitors.

However, during the assembly it was decided that even though Venezuela, Mexico, and Puerto Rico were the only participants, the events should be held as the athletes had already arrived at Puerto Rico.

The Baseball Referees Were Chosen

CACSO also managed the issue related to the referees to be chosen for the Baseball championships. The Puerto Rico Baseball Federation requested that they should choose the referees for the baseball championship, a request that was interpreted as a desire to recruit local referees rather than respect CACSO's choice.

"We understand that the best (referees) were out there. The Federation believed it had the authority to reach a decision and CACSO let them know they didn't," added the leader that said that the organization he represents is the one that makes that kind of choice in the Central American and Caribbean Games.

Gigantism is a Source of Problems in the Games

It was also discussed that CACSO is interested in reducing the gigantism that has plagued the last few JECAC Games.

According to the Organization, the cost of ground and air transportation, food and board, clothing, and the training of athletes, among other costs, had a significant impact on the budget of the 32 National Olympic Committees that participate in the JECAC.

In fact, the sum of over 5000 athletes expected for the Games broke the attendance record for this regional competition.

Among CACSO's goals is the reduction in the number of participants and the elimination of sub-sites and some of the sports disciplines.

The Vera Cruz 2014 Observers Arrive

Leaders of the Mexican sports arena displayed a report about the plans they are working on for the following JECAC that will be held in Vera Cruz, Mexico in 2014.

The Director of these Games, Gerardo Lagunes Gallina, reported that they have access to a budget of 400 million dollas for temporary installations, remodeling, and new buildings.

Finally, Cardona added that the CACSO elections assembly will be held in Vera Cruz, Mexico, during the last days of February [sic] 2010.

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