Bids for the
1991 (1991) Pan American Games
Overview
XI Pan American Games
Winner: Havana
Details
CommitteePASO
Map
Location of the bidding cities
Location of the bidding cities
Important dates
DecisionNovember 14, 1986
Decision
WinnerHavana

Havana, Cuba was the only non-withdrawn bid to host the 1991 Pan American Games. At the Pan American Games (PASO ) Assembly, from November 12 to 14, 1986, in Bridgetown, Barbados, Mar del Plata withdrew its bid, leaving Havana as the winner to host the Games.[1]

Host city selection

1991 Pan American Games bidding results
City NOC Round 1
Havana  Cuba Unanimous

Candidate cities

Havana, Cuba

See also: Bids for the 1987 Pan American Games and Bids for the 1995 Pan American Games

After Santiago, Chile in 1983, and then subsequently Quito, Ecuador in 1984, forfeited being the host for the 1987 Pan American Games, Havana and Indianapolis presented themselves as candidates to hold the 1987 Games.[2] In November 1984, the PASO General Assembly met in Mexico and voted Indianapolis as the host for the 1987 games. The United States Olympic Committee promised to not submit a bid for the 1991 Games, and them, along with PASO, guaranteed to support the Cuban candidacy to organize the 1991 Games.[3][4]

In 1986, at the PASO Assembly in Barbados, Mar del Plata argued that, due to PASO regulations, Havana was not eligible to host the 1991 Games, since Central America's turn to host the games was in 1987. Cuba responded by threatening to boycott the 1987 Games if they were not awarded that 1991 games. This would have been an issue, as Cuba was the second-largest contender in the Pan Am Games.[1][5]

As tensions grew between the committees, president of the Puerto Rico Olympic Committee, Germán Rieckehoff asked Mar del Plata if they would consider withdrawing their bid, noting that Argentina hosted the inaugural Pan American games, and Cuba had never held the games. To avoid discord in the Pan American unity, the Argentina Committee withdrew their bid in favor of Havana, understanding the reasoning of the Cuban community.[1][6][7]

Withdrew bid

On September 10, 1986, the Argentine Olympic Committee selected Mar del Plata to be the representing city of Argentina for the 1991 Pan American Games over Córdoba and Rosario by a vote of 24 to 2 to 1, respectively. The city withdrew their bid at the PASO Assembly of 1986, allowing Havana to be the only city in contention to host the games.[1][6]
In early 1985, the Canadian Olympic Committee selected London, Ontario over Hamilton, Ontario as the host city to represent Canada.[8] In June 1985, London withdrew from the bid process due to the federal government prohibiting all funding from any international multi-sport events (aside from the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics).[9]

Showed preliminary interest

Indianapolis was planning on bidding for the 1991 Games, but after the 1987 Games were without a host, the city decided to bid for, and ended up winning, those games instead.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Juegos Panamericana Mar del Plata 1995" (in Spanish). 1 June 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  2. ^ "Indianápolis 1987". Mexican Olympic Committee (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  3. ^ "Panamericanos de 1991 o cuando La Habana fue una fiesta". Habana Radio (in Spanish). 17 July 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  4. ^ "¿Unos Juegos Panamericanos sin Cuba?". CubaHora (in Spanish). 14 August 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  5. ^ "Indianapolis to roll out red carpet during '87 Pan Am Games". The Christian Science Monitor. 6 May 1985. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  6. ^ a b 8va Sesion Publica Especial - Homenaje XII Juegos Deportivos Panamericanos [8th Special Public Session - Tribute XII Pan American Sports Games] (Decree 105) (in Spanish). 30 March 2005.
  7. ^ "Fue presentado el libro que cuenta la historia del Parque de Deportes". Puntonoticias (in Spanish). 19 October 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  8. ^ "Ontario to host Pan-American Games". Panama City News Herald. Panama City, Florida, United States. Associated Press. 30 January 1985. p. 7C. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  9. ^ "Can London, Ont. land the Pan Am Games?". CBC. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  10. ^ Litsky, Frank (2 August 1987). "Big Event With Disney Touch". The New York Times. p. 5. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
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