General Overview

The year 1983, was probably a very busy year for the south american nation of Venezuelan. There were celebrations at this country for the Bicentennary of Simon Bolivar's birthday, father of the country, also new services like the Subway station at Caracas would be opened in that year. But also, at the same time, the devastating effects of the ''Black Friday'' (the high devaluation that suffered the national currency) in the economy of Venezuela were evident, and much people lost their jobs. Also, it was a year of presidential elections (which Jaime Lusinchi would win).

In the world, on the other side, Central America was suffering a strong intervention of the US from the president Ronald Reagan, sponsoring the counter-revolutionaries in Nicaragua, and the El Salvador forces against the left-side guerillas. In South America, the countries began their re-democratizaton. Argentina, after their defeat at the Falkland Wars, saw the end of the regime and the beggining of Raul Alfonsin democratic goverment. But the situation of the country was reflected with their worst performance at the Pan American games with only three gold medals.

Caracas already had various sport venues before the games, but it was needed to built more of it so the event could be carried at 100%. The main venue of the games was the Olympic Stadium located at the Universitary City, which was renovated for the event (altought the renovation works took much time, even ending the same day of the opening ceremonies). Another important venues were the Naciones Unidas Park for the Box, as well for the Brigido Iriarte Stadium (football) and the Poliedro (basketball) .The Pan American Villages was built at Guarenas (50 km far from Caracas), were some of the athletes complained because of the lack of confort of these facilities.

The Opening Ceremonies

I made a complete review long time ago of the Opening, sadly i don't have the complete vid (any contributions or corrections, send email to ikarus_360@yahoo.com)

Review of the Ceremonies (By Ikarus360)

The Competitions

Altought great athletes took part on these games, the IX Pan Am Games are sadly remembered by being one of the firsts doping scandals on history.

A team of scientists, led by chemist and drug-testing chief Manfred Donike, from Germany, developed a new method for steroid testing in anticipation of two large international sporting events that year, the World Track and Field Championships, and the IX Pan American Games in Caracas

Various athletes, such as the canadian weightlifter Guy Greavette (which was probably the center of the scandal) were given positive at drug testing, turning the games in the first international drug scandal on sports. Greavette, along with his teammate Michel Viau, was stripped of his medals and handed a two-year susension after testing positive for steroids. Nineteen athletes in total failed drug tests at the 1983 Pan Ams.

Later, a dozen American athletes in various events suddenly withdrew from the competition and returned to the U.S., and at least another dozen athletes from other countries also left without explanation, probably for fear of the drug testings.

Anyway, the games had also historical moments. One of the most importants was probably the presence of no one else than Michael Jordan, one of the best basketball players in the world, was playing with the USA team at these games, where the team won the gold medal. Jordan scored 138 points on eight games. The silver medal would be for Brazil (which was participating as the South American Champion).

The cuban Pablo Romero, gold in the category of medium-heavy boxing, did not know, but defeated in the final the future world champion in heavy-weights, Evander Holyfield. There were three world records, all from swimming, and all from the United States. In 4x100 m medley male, in the 100m back with Rick Carey and Steve Lundquist in the 100m breast. These last two were Olympic gold in 1984. Brazilian swimmer Ricardo Prado has the gold in the 400 m medley, scoring a Pan American record with 4min27. He still has one more gold (200 m medley) and two silver in the competition (200 m and 200 m butterfly back).

Uruguay obtained gold on football, leaving Brazil with the silver (the brazilian team almos didn't participated at the games because the confederation said that there were no good hosting conditions for the players)

The Closing Ceremonies

*Under Construction

Curious facts of the Games

- Francisco Rodriguez, venezuelan olympic champion at Mexico 1968 (boxing) was the one who lighted the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony. Later, at the games, he would be beaten and went to jail by a security guard, when trying to attend to the boxing events. He would later decide to don't attend again any event of the games

-Montanaro, a player from the volleyball brazilian team, had a fury excess during the trainings and broke a feet when kicking a seat at Los Angeles, on a pre-pan excursion.

-Sambo, a russian sport, was included for the first and last time in this Pan American Games.

-A brazilian citizen since 1981, Tomas Hintnaus won bronze at the jump with sticks at Caracas. Born in Videira (SC), of czech parents, he grew up in California, where he turned athlete. Hintnaus was disagree with the boycott of the USA to the Olympics in Moscow-1980 and, therefore, has represented Brazil. In addition to holding the South American record of the evidence to date, he was celebrated as a model for Calvin Klein.

Final Medal Table