Summary.
The bill proposes strengthening state support for high-performance athletes and sports medicine through PANDEPORTES in the Republic of Panama. It defines concepts relating to athletes, competition and sports development, centers, sports performance specialists, physiotherapy, injury prevention and rehabilitation, physical assessment, nutrition, and sports psychology. The High-Performance Sports Program would seek to certify athletes through merit-based processes for international representation of Panama and establish training centers in the provinces, managed by PANDEPORTES.
The program would have financial autonomy to build centers, hire coaches and specialists, train staff, fund international competitions, and purchase equipment for certified athletes. It would be led by a technical coordinator supervised by PANDEPORTES’ technical directorate. A multidisciplinary committee would evaluate and certify athletes, with participation by groups of active and retired athletes. The coordinator, selected on merit, would convene the certification commission’s regular meetings every 2 months and its special meetings, oversee the program’s objectives, submit an annual report to PANDEPORTES, and establish, with the Ministry of Education (Ministerio de Educación) and educational and technical authorities, a commission to evaluate the curriculum. The High-Performance Technical Certification Commission would include technical representatives and retired athletes selected through a merit-based competition. The program would receive an allocation equivalent to 1% of the annual budgeted current revenue of the Non-Financial Public Sector, as well as income-tax-deductible contributions and donations.
The Technical Evaluation Commission would accredit athletes based on minimum tests for each discipline and age group. Certification would last 6 months, be renewable, and could not be maintained for more than 240 months. Decisions would be made in coordination with sports federations and national teams; the criteria would cover individual, team, and combat events. Athletes with disabilities could be certified by placing among the top 3 in the specified competitions. Federations accredited by PANDEPORTES would submit candidates to the Technical Accreditation Commission within 1 month of the competition; they could also request justified exceptional classifications, and athletes could apply directly.
Certified athletes would have access to the centers, individual sessions with specialists at least once a week, and tailored planning. Those over 18 without social security coverage through their work could request inclusion through agreements. The bill provides for 1 center per province, with technical staff, digital support, and sports equipment. Certification would be lost upon expiry, physical or mental deterioration under the proposed procedure, a final administrative sanction for doping or misconduct, or official representation of another country. The text sets out coaches’ duties and professional qualifications. It would allow non-certified athletes to be admitted, subject to a center’s capacity and payment of a monthly fee; that revenue would be used for the program’s objectives.
The Sports Medicine Program would coordinate periodic assessments, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, nutrition, and psychological support for registered athletes and participants in national and international competitions. It would establish protocols that could be updated, educational activities, the hiring of specialists, research with universities and research centers, equipment for diagnostic testing, and specialized agreements. Its funding would be included within the 1% budget allocation to the high-performance program, alongside other specified sources. It would submit an annual report on activities, results, resources, and statistics to the National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional). The provisions add Chapters V and VI to Law 50 of 2007, renumber subsequent provisions, and assign implementing regulations to the Executive Branch (Órgano Ejecutivo). Given its content, the bill would be of interest to PANDEPORTES, the Ministry of Education, public health institutions, sports federations, athletes, coaches, and sports medicine professionals.
What it proposes.
- The High-Performance Sports Program and athlete certification.
- High-performance centers, their services, and funding.
- The Sports Medicine Program and healthcare for athletes.
Who it would affect.
- High-performance athletes and applicants for certification.
- Sports federations and national teams.
- Coaches and sports technical or healthcare staff.
- PANDEPORTES and high-performance centers.
Key points.
- The bill defines sports and healthcare terms and proposes 2 programs managed by PANDEPORTES.Arts. 1-2
- The high-performance program would have a technical coordinator, evaluation and certification committees, athlete representation, and funding from the budget and private sources.Art. 2
- Certification would be based on tests by discipline and age, would remain valid for 6 months, and would allow nominations by federations or direct applications.Art. 2
- Certified athletes would have access to centers, specialized care, and tailored planning; the bill provides for 1 center per province and sets out grounds for losing certification.Art. 2
- The sports medicine program would provide clinical and preventive services, establish protocols, promote research, and submit an annual report to the National Assembly.Art. 2
- The provisions add Chapters V and VI to Law 50 of 2007 and require subsequent chapters and articles to be renumbered.Arts. 3-5
- The Executive Branch would issue implementing regulations for the proposed law, which would take effect in the fiscal year following its publication in the Official Gazette (Gaceta Oficial).Arts. 4-6