Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games Sports Program Announced

The Organising Committee of the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games announced the sports program of the 2023 Parapan American Games today. The Games will feature 17 para sports and 18 disciplines.

The para sports slated to be included on the program are: para archery, para athletics, para badminton, boccia, para cycling (road and track), football 5-a-side, football 7-a-side, goalball, judo, para powerlifting, shooting para sport, para swimming, para table tennis, para taekwondo, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair tennis.

Para archery returns to the sports program after being dropped for the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games. Para archery featured at both the 2011 and 2015 editions of the Parapan American Games prior to Lima 2019. Para archery competitions at the 2015 Parapan American Games featured 8 countries, and included 2 events for each gender.

By far the most shocking component of the announcement, was the apparent exclusion of sitting volleyball. Sitting Volleyball was included on the program of the last 5 Parapan American Games. The tournament at the 2019 Parapan American Games even acted as a qualification event for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Summer Games. It has not been explicitly stated as to what led to the sport’s exclusion from the 2023 Parapan American Games, but the sport has seen a low amount of participating countries at the last few editions of the Parapan American Games.

Americas Paralympic Committee (APC) President Julio César Ávila stated, “Congratulations to all 17 sports that will be part of the sports programme at the next Parapan American Games in Santiago, in 2023. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC)/APC reviewed applications from a total of 23 Para sports against a variety of criteria such as anti-doping compliance, competition opportunities in the Americas and participation numbers.”
 

He continued, “The 17 selected Para sports give us confidence in a robust Games programme reflecting the most popular Para sports in our region. The programme features an attractive mix of exciting and extremely engaging Para sports; we are committed to organising a historic Games in Santiago.”

Santiago 2023 CEO Felipe De Pablo added, "We are fully satisfied with the sports programme of the Parapan American Games. It is very attractive for competitors and spectators. We have worked on these Games in the same way we do for the Pan American Games, replicating every action for both competitions.”

He continued, "We want the Americas to know that we are talking about high performance athletes, that the venues will be full of people. With this programme we are convinced that we will have a wonderful show, which will enhance all the capacities of those who come to fight for a medal. Athletes and Para athletes are and will always be the heart of our Games".

APC Athlete Representative Ileana Rodriguez said, "This is not an easy decision to make as it directly impacts the athletes, who go through years of hard training and competing to reach their best form ahead of the Parapan American Games. I am convinced these Games will be the best yet in terms of sporting performances; our outstanding Para athletes will inspire millions and forever change Chilean society and how disability is perceived.”

Speaking on his country’s objectives for the Games, Chilean Paralympic Committee (Copachi) President Ricardo Elizalde said,  "It is a very important step to get to know the 17 sports. In Lima (2019 Parapan) we participated in 10 disciplines and one of our objectives at Santiago 2023 is to increase the number of athletes and sports.”

He continued, "At Copachi we have been working since 2013 on providing more and better opportunities for people with disabilities. That, for example, has led us to systematically increase the number of athletes in our last international participations and encourages us to have a record delegation at Santiago 2023.”

Since the first edition in Mexico City in 1999, with 1,000 Para athletes from 18 countries competing across four Para sports, the Parapan American Games have been growing steadily. The latest edition held in Lima in 2019 was regarded as the best ever, with over 1,800 Para athletes from 30 countries competing across 17 Para sports, and a record number of 170,000 spectators following the competitions from the stands. 
 

The Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games will open on 17 November and close on 26 November 2023.