| South American Games | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Games | |
| Sports | |
| Abbreviation | JJSS |
|---|---|
| First event | 1978 in La Paz, Bolivia |
| Occur every | four years |
| Last event | 2022 in Asunción, Paraguay |
| Next event | 2026 in Santa Fe Province, Argentina |
| Purpose | Multi-sport event for South America |
| Website | odesur.org |
The South American Games (also known as ODESUR Games; Spanish: Juegos Suramericanos; Portuguese: Jogos Sul-Americanos), formerly the Southern Cross Games (Spanish: Juegos Cruz del Sur) is a regional multi-sport event held between nations from South America, organized by the ODESUR (acronym for "Organización Deportiva Suramericana" – South American Sports Organization.[1]
The first Games were held in 1978 in La Paz, Bolivia. They have since been held every four years, with the most recent edition in 2022 in Asuncion, Paraguay. The Games have had an equivalent to the Olympic Flame since their inception: the South American Flame, which is relayed from Tiahuanaco, Bolivia, to the host city.[2]
For the XI edition in 2018 there were two bids: Cochabamba, Bolivia, and Barquisimeto, Venezuela, with the final hosting decision in favour of Cochabamba in 2011. Starting with the 2014 edition, the South American Para Games are held for South American Paralympic athletes. Just like the Olympic Games, the host city for the South American Games is also the host for Para-South American Games.
The detailed history of the South American Games together with an extensive list of medal winners was published in a book written (in Spanish) by Argentinian journalist Ernesto Rodríguez III with support of the Argentine Olympic Committee under the auspices of the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Sports Secretary of Argentina.[3]
- ^ Ediciones de los Juegos (in Spanish), ODESUR, archived from the original on 16 June 2012, retrieved 5 June 2012
- ^ Llama Suramericana (in Spanish), ODESUR, archived from the original on 18 August 2012, retrieved 5 June 2012
- ^ Rodríguez III, Ernesto (2010), LIBROS DEL CICLO OLÍMPICO ARGENTINO - Libro I de los Juegos Odesur 1978-2010 (in Spanish) (1a. ed.), Buenos Aires: Alarco Ediciones, p. 192, ISBN 978-987-1367-18-4, archived from the original on 4 January 2012, retrieved 3 June 2012