The Pan American Games is a continental multi-sport event in the Americas featuring summer sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The competition is held among athletes from nations of the Americas, every four years in the year before the Summer Olympic Games. It is the second oldest continental games in the world. The only Winter Pan American Games were held in 1990. In 2021, the Junior Pan American Games was held for the first time specifically for young athletes. The Pan American Sports Organization (PASO) is the governing body of the Pan American Games movement, whose structure and actions are defined by the Olympic Charter.
The 1983 Pan American Games, officially known as the IX Pan American Games and commonly known as Caracas 1983, were held in Caracas, Venezuela from August 14 to August 29, 1983. The games were the first major international competition to include relatively accurate steroid testing.
Canada has competed at every edition of the Pan American Games since the second edition of the multi-sport event in 1955. As of the last Pan American Games in 2019, Canada is third on the all time medals list, only behind the United States and Cuba. Canada is also one of nine countries to have competed at the only Winter Pan American Games, and only of one two to win a medal at the games.
Argentina competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Originally scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August 2020, the Games were postponed to 23 July to 8 August 2021, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the nation's official debut in 1900, Argentine athletes have competed in every edition of the Summer Olympic Games, except the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, and the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow because of their support for the United States-led boycott.
Four cities submitted bids to host the 1983 Pan American Games that were recognized by the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO); however, only one city, Hamilton submitted their bid on time. On April 23, 1977, Caracas, Venezuela was selected over Hamilton, Canada in a two-city vote to host the IX Pan American Games by the PASO at its general assembly in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The men's 100 metres event at the 1983 Pan American Games was held in Caracas, Venezuela on 23 and 24 August.
The women's 100 metres event at the 1983 Pan American Games was held in Caracas, Venezuela on 23 and 24 August.
The women's 200 metres event at the 1983 Pan American Games was held in Caracas, Venezuela on 25 and 26 August.
The men's 400 metres hurdles event at the 1983 Pan American Games was held in Caracas, Venezuela on 23 and 24 August.
The women's 400 metres hurdles event at the 1983 Pan American Games was held in Caracas, Venezuela on 23 and 24 August. This was the first time that the event was held at the Games.
The women's 800 metres event at the 1983 Pan American Games was held in Caracas, Venezuela on 23 and 24 August.
The men's javelin throw event at the 1983 Pan American Games was held in Caracas, Venezuela on 28 August. It was the last time that men used the old model javelin at the Games.
The women's heptathlon event at the 1983 Pan American Games was held in Caracas, Venezuela on 24 and 25 August. It was the first time that this event was held at the Games replacing the pentathlon.
The men's shot put event at the 1983 Pan American Games was held in Caracas, Venezuela on 23 August.
ABC was the first American television network to broadcast the Pan American Games in 1963, when they devoted one episode of their Wide World of Sports anthology program to the games. They doubled their coverage to two episodes of the show in 1967. CBS then bought the rights to the 1975 and 1979 Games at the same time. Their coverage in 1975 was mainly shown on CBS Sports Spectacular, their equivalent to Wide World of Sports. CBS repeated the process of airing most of its coverage on CBS Sports Spectacular in 1979.
