Conflict of Interest at the Junior Pan American Games: The Dennis Berdugo Case

ASUNCIÓN, Paraguay — Official documents, competition records, and the statutes of the Pan American Taekwondo Union (PATU), World Taekwondo (WT), and the Olympic Charter reveal a serious and ongoing conflict of interest at the Junior Pan American Games Asunción 2025.

Dennis Berdugo, PATU’s Director of Sport, currently has two of his children registered to compete this Sunday in subjective-scoring events, with his wife serving as the official coach of the national team. The competition format for these events was altered from that used throughout the entire qualification cycle — a change that runs directly counter to PATU’s own statutes.

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Berdugo’s Official Position

Internal PATU documents confirm that Berdugo holds the role of Director of Sport, a position that includes planning, oversight, and control of the technical and organizational aspects of continental competitions.

Article 15.2 of the PATU Statutes (2025) states:

“Officials shall avoid any situation that could create a conflict of interest, whether real or perceived, and shall always act in defense of the integrity and transparency of competitions.”

Direct Family Participation and the Role of the Coach

The official rosters for the Junior Pan American Games list two of Berdugo’s children competing for Nicaragua:

BERDUGO – Recognized Poomsae Individual Female and Freestyle Pair.
BERDUGO MALIAÑOS Sebastian – Recognized Poomsae Individual Male and Freestyle Pair.

Both are scheduled to compete this Sunday under the direct supervision of their mother, Alba Amalia Mailaño, who is formally registered as the team’s coach.

(Editor’s note: As one of the athletes is a minor, her full name will not be used beyond its appearance in the official documentation. She is referred to herein as “the younger daughter” to protect her identity.)

The conflict is clear: should another country file a protest concerning scoring, evaluation criteria, or the conduct of the coach, the matter would be handled within a structure in which the Director of Sport —the coach’s husband and the athletes’ father— holds decision-making authority.

The IOC Code of Ethics, Article C.1.3, is unequivocal:

“Persons subject to this Code shall not be placed in any situation that could create a conflict of interest. Should such a situation arise, it must be disclosed immediately and resolved in the best interest of sport.”

Subjective-Scoring Disciplines

Poomsae and Freestyle do not involve direct combat. Instead, they consist of technical performances judged on criteria such as accuracy, rhythm, power, creativity, and synchronization.

Because results depend on subjective assessment, the combination of a parent in a continental decision-making role and another as the athletes’ coach raises the risk of bias — and the perception of bias — to the highest level.

Article 25 of the World Taekwondo Statutes is explicit:

“No official shall use their position to benefit family members or associates in the participation, classification, or results of events.”

Competition Format Change in the Final Event

During the qualification cycle for Asunción 2025, the process followed a consistent pattern:

First event – Start order determined randomly.
Second, third, and fourth events – Start order determined by PATU ranking, using a cut-off system.

Cut-off system (Events 2–4):

All competitors perform a semifinal round with two poomsae each.
Scores are published in a global list, ranked from highest to lowest.
The top eight scores advance to the final.
All athletes are compared directly.

Bracket system (Final event in Asunción):

One-on-one matches by rounds, with two poomsae per round.
Some athletes start in the round of 16, others directly in the quarterfinals.
Advancement depends on the assigned opponent, not an overall score comparison.

In this scenario, Berdugo’s younger daughter and elder son were matched against athletes from Paraguay, the host nation. As hosts, Paraguayan competitors were automatically qualified for the final event, bypassing the entire qualification process. With limited competitive history in Poomsae at the continental level and no international match exposure during the cycle, they entered the tournament as the least-tested athletes in the bracket — effectively the most favorable possible draw.

Clear Violation of PATU Statutes

Article 18.4 of the PATU Statutes states:

“Competition procedures and systems shall be applied uniformly in all qualifying phases and final events to ensure equality of conditions.”

The decision to replace the cut-off system with a bracket system for the most important event of the cycle broke the uniformity established during the qualification process, altered competitive conditions, and created a scenario advantageous to the children of PATU’s Director of Sport.

International Ethical Standards

The Olympic Charter and the IOC Code of Ethics strictly prohibit such practices:

Fundamental Principle 6 of the Olympic Charter:

“Any form of discrimination or preferential treatment, whether on personal or other grounds, is incompatible with membership in the Olympic Movement.”
IOC Code of Ethics, Article C.1.3:

“Persons subject to this Code shall not be placed in any situation that could create a conflict of interest. Should such a situation arise, it must be disclosed immediately and resolved in the best interest of sport.”

An Urgent Call to Action

This conflict of interest is unfolding in real time.

The participation of the PATU Director of Sport’s children in subjectively judged events, coached by their mother, combined with an irregular change to the competition format, violates PATU and WT statutes and the fundamental principles of the Olympic Movement.

Authorities of the Junior Pan American Games, the Pan American Sports Organization, and the Olympic Movement still have time to intervene — to safeguard transparency, ensure equal conditions, and preserve the credibility of this continental event.