Brasília, July 17, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The Committee in charge of organizing the 2003 Pan-American Games, in San Domingo, in the Dominican Republic, announced that 5,196 athletes will take part in the competitions, between August 1 and 17. This total is less than at the last Games, in Winnipeg, Canada, in 1999, when 5,600 athletes competed. The United States will have the largest delegation, made up of approximately 800 competitors. The host country will have 560.

José Joaquim Puello, president of the Committee, affirmed that, in all, the athletes will compete in 35 different sports events. They will begin to arrive in the Dominican Republic on July 22. "We shall be receiving the athletes until July 29. On July 30, we shall have a big celebration to begin the competition," he affirmed. (DAS)