The Congress of the Republic of Peru passed a bill guaranteeing that all Peruvian athletes and Para athletes who take a gold, silver or bronze medal at the Lima 2019 Pan American and Parapan American Games will receive an apartment at the Village.

It was approved with all 64 votes in favour. This initiative was presented by Congress first Vice-president Leyla Chihuan and supported by Educational, Youth and Sports Commission Head Milagros Salazar.

This regulation considers winners both in individual and team sports, who will receive one of the 1,096 apartments built for the Pan American and Parapan American Village in the district of Villa El Salvador.

“Athletes are the true protagonists of this event; their performance will inspire our population to practice sports and will develop people’s personal skills which they will later apply in their professional and educational lives,” Chihuan said.

Seven towers, three with 19 floors and four with 20, make up the Village. Each building has four elevators with a capacity for up to 18 people and access for wheelchair users. The Village will feature 70-square-metre and 75-square-metre apartments, with accessible bathrooms.

The Village will receive around 2,955 people for the Parapan American Games, including athletes and officials, and will become the biggest accessible housing complex in Peru.

It will be an important legacy for those living in the district of Villa El Salvador and the country.

Lima 2019 will take place between 23 August and 1 September and will feature over 1,800 athletes competing across 17 sports, overtaking Toronto 2015 as the biggest Parapan American Games in history.

Badminton, shooting and taekwondo will make their debut in the Games.