Unfinished business
Are Pan-Ams ready? Where's a shower?
By TERRY JONES -- Edmonton Sun
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic -- There is not an entire Canadian women's volleyball team in my shower. But I am expecting one.
Twenty years ago at the Pan-Am Games the following was my lead paragraph:
CARACAS, Venezuela - There's an entire Canadian women's volleyball team in my shower.
What happened in Caracas was that the economy of the country went in the toilet and the Games went with them. The plumbing didn't work in the athletes village. The coach, who had a sweaty squad after practice, found my hotel and asked if her team could shower in my room. Who is going to turn down the Naked News, delivered?
I'm afraid to leave my room. It could be deja vu. I'm expecting the Canadian women's basketball team, any minute. Where they practised here the other day, the showers, not to mention the toilets, didn't work.
At least they could practise. The Canadian shooters are here, but their venue isn't finished. The gymnastics team's venue is finished but the equipment isn't set up.
Ready or not, the XIV Juegos Panamericanos - the 2003 Santo Domingo Pan-Am Games - open here tomorrow. And they are not ready.
AMAZING PICTURES
Even though I've covered 24 international Games, CBC producer Terry Ludwig says I'm not ready for this.
"If you think you've seen it all, you're going to see everything you've seen in those 24 Games and a whole bunch of stuff you've never seen before,'' he predicts.
CBC, because of the amazing pictures they sent the world from the Winnipeg Pan-Am Games four years ago, was hired by the Dominican Republic organizing committee to be the host broadcaster for this event.
Ludwig has been here a year.
"We came to an agreement with the organizing committee to work with the Winnipeg model and give them the same package,'' he said.
The host broadcast package has been severely cut back because the organizing committee, back in April and May, couldn't make any more payments.
"To say it's been a challenge would be a bit of an understatement,'' says Ludwig.
"If it wasn't for the fact that they are such good people and that they are trying so hard for a country of this size and with these resources ...''
The venues?
"They're cathedrals,'' he said. "But they're still working on them. The paint is going to be wet.''
Organization?
"People are going to expect buses where there will not be buses,'' he guarantees.
Transportation?
Forget about it. Every street is a scramble. Ever see a dad (holding a baby bottle in one hand) driving a motorcycle with mom holding a baby and two children also on board?
WHERE'S THE SECURITY?
"There will be no security where you expect to see security,'' adds Ludwig.
"Things missing here are fundamentals of life - power, water and delivery of services. And they're still putting it together, the Dominican way.''
The people, he says, are beautiful.
"They take a lot of pride in getting it done at the last minute.''
The facilities, he says, will look great back home in Canada during CBC's coverage.
"It'll look great on TV. But all around it, at a lot of venues, it's a construction site. Backstage is going to be the problem.''
It helps to know the background here.
ONE VOTE SHY
The Dominican Republic finished one vote shy of winning the 1999 Pan-Ams, losing out to Winnipeg. Even though San Antonio in the U.S. and Rio in Brazil wanted the Games (Rio now hosts 2007) they gave the Dominican Republic this one.
Then the second biggest bank in the country went bankrupt. There was a construction delay of almost three years to what was already an over-ambitious project. There have been no test events. Six sports were almost cancelled two weeks ago because of venue problems. Tickets went on sale last week.
Dr. Gene Sutton, Canada's chef de mission, contemplated 'Comfortable in Chaos' as Canada's slogan for these Games, but settled for 'We're Ready' with the unspoken message 'even if you're not'.
Ready or not, 5,300 athletes from 42 countries are arriving here to compete in 23 sports in these Games, which carry a price tag of $209 million Cdn.
You get the idea. These aren't going to be the greatest Games ever held. But they're going to be an amazing experience.
And attention, Canadian women's volleyball team: I'm in Room 305.
