The ALBA Games (Spanish: Juegos Deportivos del ALBA) are a multi-sport event organized by the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas (ALBA). The games are held once every two years.[1] It was originally intended only for athletes of the ALBA member states but it has expanded to other countries in the Americas.
The first edition was held in 2005 in Havana, Cuba. Since then it was decided that Cuba and Venezuela will be switching editions every two years. However, there is a possibility that other countries may host the games in future editions.[2]
Amid the international isolation Russia is facing due to the invasion of Ukraine, ALBA invited Russia to participate at the 2023 Games.[3] Russia sent 48 athletes to the 2023 ALBA Games and competed under its national flag.
Nations
editALBA's 10 member states are Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Nicaragua, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Venezuela.
Observer members
edit
Former members
editGuests
edit
Games
edit| Year | Games | Host City | Host Country | Dates | Athletes | Nations | Sports | Top Medalling Nation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 1 | Havana |  Cuba
|
17 June – 30 June | 441 | 8 | 31 | Cuba
|
| 2007 | 2 | Caracas |  Venezuela
|
27 April – 12 May | 1,659 | 30 | 38 | Cuba
|
| 2009 | 3 | Havana | Cuba
|
15 April – 18 April | 691 | 28 | 38 | Cuba
|
| 2011 | 4 | Barquisimeto | Venezuela
|
17 July – 30 July | ~2,500 | ~23 | 35 | Venezuela
|
| 2013 | - | Quito |  Ecuador
|
June – July | not held | |||
| 2015 | - | Cochabamba |  Bolivia
|
August – September | not held | |||
| 2023 | 5 | Caracas | Venezuela
|
21–29 April | ~3,500 | 11 | 33 | Venezuela
|
| 2025 | 6 | Roseau |  Dominica
|
3–20 July | ||||
- Not held in 2017, 2019 and 2021.
2023
editThe athletes marched on behalf of their respective delegations representing Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Nicaragua, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Venezuela. Russia was due to take part in boxing, beach volleyball, karate, table tennis, trampolining, weightlifting and rhythmic gymnastics. The Games were set to see approximately 3,500 athletes from 11 countries compete in 35 sports. Russian athletes were invited as special guests thanks to an agreement signed by Russia and Venezuela in October 2021.[4] Russia sent 48 athletes to the 2023 ALBA Games and competed under its national flag. Athletes from host nation Venezuela won the most medals.[5]
Medal table
edit* Host nation (Venezuela)
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Venezuela (VEN)* | 255 | 254 | 226 | 735 |
| 2 | Cuba (CUB) | 76 | 65 | 53 | 194 |
| 3 |  Russia (RUS) | 36 | 24 | 10 | 70 |
| 4 |  Nicaragua (NCA) | 7 | 25 | 113 | 145 |
| 5 | Bolivia (BOL) | 6 | 5 | 8 | 19 |
| 6 | Dominica (DMA) | 2 | 2 | 5 | 9 |
| 7 |  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (VCT) | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5 |
| 8 |  Saint Kitts and Nevis (SKN) | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 9 |  Antigua and Barbuda (ATG) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 |  Grenada (GRN) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
 Saint Lucia (LCA) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Totals (11 entries) | 383 | 377 | 421 | 1,181 | |
All-time medal table
editAs of 2011 – note that records for the 2005 Games are incomplete. The 2023 ALBA Games medal table.[6]
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cuba (CUB) | 948 | 562 | 532 | 2,042 |
| 2 | Venezuela (VEN) | 611 | 771 | 695 | 2,077 |
| 3 |  Chile (CHI) | 49 | 54 | 79 | 182 |
| 4 | Ecuador (ECU) | 43 | 77 | 110 | 230 |
| 5 |  Colombia (COL) | 36 | 51 | 64 | 151 |
| 6 | Russia (RUS) | 30 | 22 | 9 | 61 |
| 7 |  El Salvador (SLV) | 14 | 14 | 21 | 49 |
| 8 |  Mexico (MEX) | 8 | 8 | 12 | 28 |
| 9 | Bolivia (BOL) | 7 | 15 | 35 | 57 |
| 10 |  Panama (PAN) | 7 | 6 | 4 | 17 |
| 11 |  Dominican Republic (DOM) | 6 | 23 | 48 | 77 |
| 12 |  Argentina (ARG) | 6 | 7 | 16 | 29 |
| 13 |  Guatemala (GUA) | 3 | 6 | 15 | 24 |
| 14 | Nicaragua (NIC) | 2 | 1 | 18 | 21 |
| 15 |  Peru (PER) | 1 | 5 | 10 | 16 |
| 16 |  Brazil (BRA) | 1 | 4 | 4 | 9 |
| 17 |  Honduras (HON) | 1 | 1 | 5 | 7 |
| 18 |  Barbados (BAR) | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 19 |  Puerto Rico (PRI) | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| 20 |  Costa Rica (CRI) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 21 |  Guyana (GUY) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
 Spain (ESP) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 23 |  Haiti (HAI) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Totals (23 entries) | 1,773 | 1,633 | 1,687 | 5,093 | |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ ALBA - ALBA Sports Games. Retrieved May 10, 2015.
- ^ "Reseña Histórica". Archived from the original on 27 March 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2011.
- ^ "Россию пригласили на самые антиамериканские старты мира. Что это такое?" [Russia is invited to the most anti-American sporting event in the world. What is it about?]. sport-express.ru (in Russian). 2023-02-23. Retrieved 2023-04-14.
- ^ "Россию пригласили на самые антиамериканские старты мира. Что это такое?" [Russia is invited to the most anti-American sporting event in the world. What is it about?]. sport-express.ru (in Russian). 2023-02-23. Retrieved 2023-04-14.
- ^ "Sitio Web Oficial de los V Juegos Alba Venezuela 2023". JuegosALBAvenezuela2023.org (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-04-30.
- ^ "Sitio Web Oficial de los V Juegos Alba Venezuela 2023". JuegosALBAvenezuela2023.org. Retrieved 2023-04-30.