PATCO
President, Antonio Alvarez of Mexico welcomed the
delegates to the comprehensive facilities at the Disney
Institute, provided courtesy of Steve Locke and the
United States Triathlon Federation (USAT). A delegate
from the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) International
Relations Committee also welcomed all the countries
of the Americas to the Congress and encouraged them
in their pursuit to develope triathlon throughout
the Americas.
PATCO
Affiliated Federations present were:
Argentina, Mexico, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Brazil,
Canada, USA, Colombia, Bolivia, Chile, Dominican Republic,
Panama, Guatemala, El Salvador, Bahamas, Ecuador and
Nicaragua.
Nicaragua
was confirmed and welcomed under the leadership of
Ernesto Falla as a member of ITU and PATCO at this
Congress.
Adrian
Pearson-Wilson, Secretary General of the Costa Rican
Olympic Committee, was welcomed as the administrator
of the Costa Rican Triathlon Federation.
The
ITU Pan Am Regional Championship launches an eleven
race series called the Copa America that will
take place throughout the Pan American region, concluding
in Chile in November.
During
Congress, the United States Triathlon Federation (USAT)
announced that they would be donating $5000 (U.S.D)
to assist in the development of triathlon in the Americas,
through PATCO.
A
resolution was passed unanimously by the congress
delegates condemning the actions of the German, Irish,
Costa Rican, and Cook Islands National Federations
who initiated civil court action against ITU in British
Colombia, by passing the appeals procedure outlined
in the ITU Constitution, claiming all internal conflicts
be referred to the Court of Arbitration for Sport
(CAS) to resolve.
Throughout
the course of the day, appointments where made to
several PATCO committees in order to establish a strong
infrastructure from which to work.
Delegates
were also invited to view the new facilities at the
USAT Training Centre (due to open on its new site
in August) and were issued an invitation to to make
use of these facilities in the future.
PATCO
delegates also confirmed the appointment of Alberto
Fonollosa from Argentina as the President of the South
American region of PATCO, and thus responsible for
triathlon at the multi-sport games held in that region,
under the auspices of the IOC.
