President José Antonio Kast welcomed part of the Chilean delegation that competed in the Santa Fe 2026 South American Games in Argentina to La Moneda Palace. The ceremony took place two weeks after the competition ended.
According to Cooperativa, some representatives of Team Chile attended the official reception. The delegation achieved its second-best performance in the history of these games in Santa Fe, with 49 gold medals.
ADN Radio reported that Chile finished fourth in the overall medal table. Neither outlet provided the names of the athletes who arrived at the government palace.
The event almost did not take place. ADN Radio reported that authorities initially announced its cancellation because of the weather front that brought rain, hail and thunderstorms to Santiago. Minutes later, images of the reception in the Montt Varas Hall appeared.
The meeting took place without the press present. Kast was accompanied by Sports Minister Francisco Riveros and spent time with members of the delegation.
This is not the first sporting event held behind closed doors at La Moneda. In March, then Sports Minister Natalia Duco welcomed Nicolás Bisquertt, who earned two diplomas at the Winter Paralympic Games, without an official media advisory.
The Ministry of Sport (Mindep) also had no in-person press coverage when it published the National Policy on Physical Activity and Sport. That document sets the state's roadmap in this area through 2037.
