The Pan American Sports Organisation has revoked the selection of the city of Barranquilla in Colombia as the host of 2027 Games over a failure to provide promised sponsorship.

The agreed sponsorship obligations, reported to be an estimated total of $8 million, were due to be paid over two instalments in December last year and December 2024.

However, after the deadline set by the organisation to provide the necessary economic guarantees expired on October 30, and in the absence of a response to the request for an extension sent five days earlier, Panam Sports took the unanimous decision to withdraw the right to host the Games and to terminate the contract.

“Panam Sports informs the public that its executive committee has unanimously decided to withdraw Barranquilla, Colombia, as the host City of the 2027 Pan American Games,” a statement read. “The resolution has been taken following several breaches of the host city contract.

“It should be noted that on October 19 at a meeting in Santiago, Chile, following the receipt of an official letter from the Colombian authorities dated October 25, Barranquilla requested an extension of the deadline to comply with the contract.

“The proposal was accepted by Panam Sports which provided new deadlines of December 30, 2023, and January 30, 2024.

“However, since the new deadline passed with no response, on January 3, 2024, the Panam Sports executive committee has made the unwavering decision to remove the rights to be the host city of the continental Games in 2027.

“Panam Sports profoundly regrets this situation but has made this decision with the future of the greatest multisport event of the Americas and the athletes of the continent in mind.”

Since the first staging of the Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1951, the Pan Am Games has grown to become the largest international sporting competition after the Olympic Games, with around 7,000 athletes, a figure that rises to almost 10,000 when the participants, officials, referees and logistical support staff are included.

The decision to remove Barranquilla as the host city has been met by anger from the Colombian Olympic Committee, who now plan to take action against Panam Sports.

While conceding that his country had failed to pay Pan Am Sports the initial payment by the December deadline, Ciro Solano, president of the Colombian Olympic Committee, expressed his dissatisfaction with the decision.

“The damage is significant for Colombia's image, for the sporting nation, and for the Colombian people themselves,” Solano said.

“I always saw the willingness of the government, but on December 26 the alarms went off and they told me it would be difficult for the treasury to release the funds.

“Obviously, we were worried and we started to move. The ministry called Neven [ Neven Ilic, president of Pan American Sports] and he said that we have to meet the deadlines.

“We will take action, but we want to settle everything amicably. We still have hope of getting the Games back and although they have many arguments for their decision, we as a committee ask to be heard.

“We will claim the right to host that was granted two and a half years ago, regardless of the difficulties we have faced.”