Pan Am boss pleased with how splendid Games went
Toronto2015 CEO Saad Rafi’s big moments and memories from the last two weeks
From roaring hometown crowds to a small but dedicated organizing team, Toronto2015 CEO Saad Rafi is “busting with pride” as the Pan Am Games come to a close. But it’s no time for rest, he says, with the Parapan Am Games just around the corner.
We spoke with him Monday about favourite moments, what needed work and the buzz around an Olympic bid. Hometown pride Rafi concedes he didn’t have many chances to take in the sports, let alone an entire event. But when he did get a glimpse of the action, what impressed him most was the energy from the stands. “The hometown energy that men’s rugby sevens brought early on, it’s hard not to think that they were buoyed by such a raucous crowd.” Canada went on to win a Pan Am national record 78 gold medals, beating the previous record of 64. Silencing the haters The Games came to town with a grunt from many Torontonians. Fears of traffic chaos fuelled by HOV-road rage combined with initially lacklustre ticket sales to make the Pan Ams a source of ridicule. Now with more than a million tickets sold and carmaggedon avoided, Rafi isn’t exactly eager to bust out an “I told you so,” even after enduring months of questions about the quibbles.
When asked what pre-Games gripe was most thoroughly shut down, he offers, “Well I wouldn’t say it in that way so much.” Instead he focuses on the turnaround, saying “that was the most gratifying thing for us . . . that response from the spectators.” Taking a mulligan Even in the glow of apparent success, Rafi can think of a few things he might have done differently.
The athlete transportation got off to a rocky start, he said, with athletes hoping for regularly scheduled shuttles coming up against a booking system instead.
“There’s always a break-in period where everyone needs to get used to and understand how the system works,” he said, adding Pan Am Sports Organization officials assured him transportation is an issue for every Games. Surprise success As Rafi repeated for months that the Games would be a success, he might have been trying to convince himself as much as the rest of us, he admits.
“I said all along that the region would respond and respond in a big way. I had no idea it would be that big,” he said. “Whether it was a Panamania event or whether it was an event at the celebration zone for the province or people coming up to see some of the beautiful venues . . . just absolutely thrilled by how the region embraced the Games.” Games not over “You don’t want to ever rest on anything,” Rafi says. That’s why his team is looking ahead to the Parapan Am Games starting Aug. 7. “Now we want to see through the Para and make them even better than the Pan Am Games.”
With all 15 parasports serving as Olympic qualifiers for the Rio 2016 Summer Games, Rafi is guaranteeing a high level of competition. Raising the bar As the Pan Ams drew to a close, Rafi started talking up Toronto’s ability to host a major event. Is that an Olympic-sized hint? “No, I’m not suggesting that,” Rafi said. “I’m not suggesting they shouldn’t.”