There will be no U.S. teams participating in the 2003 Pan-American Games soccer competitions Aug. 2-16 in the Dominican Republic.
The United States has had a history of success in the tournament, winning the 1991 men's gold and 1999 women's gold, but changes in the format precluded U.S. participation.
Four CONCACAF teams (Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico and the Dominican Republic) and four South American teams will be competing in the men's soccer competition. The men's tournament will be an under-22 competition, for players born on or after January 1, 1981.
Difficulty getting Olympic-age players during the MLS season contributed to the decision by U.S. Soccer not to participate. The United States also faces the prospect of having to field a team in the same age group for Olympic qualifying in the fall during the MLS season.
Four years ago, the United States finished third with a team that included rising U-17 stars Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley.
The four CONCACAF teams — Canada, Costa Rica, Haiti and Mexico — will be joined by two South American entrants in the women's competition. The women's tournament will also be an Olympic-age tournament — in this case full national teams.
The U.S. hoped to send its U-19 team for the originally scheduled U-22 tournament. At Winnipeg '99, the U.S. U-18 girls beat Mexico, 1-0, on a Cat Reddick goal to capture the U-20 tournament.