Dennis Berdugo Returns as Technical Delegate at ODESUR 2026 Following His Controversial Departure
The latest version of the Santa Fe 2026 South American Games Technical Manual identifies Dennis Berdugo as the International Technical Delegate for Taekwondo. The previous edition listed Vusala Denise Clifton in that position.
Dennis Berdugo returns to one of the most sensitive technical positions in Pan American Taekwondo following the controversies surrounding his tenure.
Dennis Berdugo has been appointed International Technical Delegate for Taekwondo at the XIII South American Games Santa Fe 2026, with the competition scheduled to take place in Rosario from September 23 to 25.
The change is reflected in different versions of the Sports Technical Manual. The edition published in April identified Vusala Denise Clifton of the United States as the official responsible for that position. The July update lists Berdugo in her place.
According to information obtained by MASTKD, the Pan American Taekwondo Union submitted candidates for the position, while World Taekwondo made the final selection.
To date, the reasons for Clifton’s replacement and the criteria considered in making the change have not been publicly disclosed.
Less than a year later, Berdugo has once again been entrusted with a position of significant responsibility at another multisport event within the Olympic cycle.
Berdugo’s Return
The appointment marks Berdugo’s return to a prominent international technical role less than a year after leaving his position as PATU Sport Director.
On September 23, 2025, the continental governing body announced his removal from the position and named Mexico’s Santiago Escutia Martínez as his replacement. PATU did not publicly disclose the reasons for that decision or announce any sanction or disqualification against Berdugo.
His departure came after questions arose during the Asunción 2025 Junior Pan American Games, which were documented by MASTKD. However, no causal connection between those events should be established without an official explanation confirming it.
The new appointment is already reflected in the official Santa Fe 2026 documentation. The outstanding question is not its validity, but what prompted Vusala Clifton’s replacement and which criteria were used to select her successor.
During the Asunción competition, Berdugo held responsibilities within the continental technical structure while two of his children competed in Poomsae events and his wife served as a coach.
At the time, MASTKD documented a potential conflict of interest, questioned changes to the competition format and technical decisions that prompted complaints during the event.
The investigation also revisited a complaint submitted in 2022 by Brazilian Olympic referee Marcelo Rezende. In that communication to PATU authorities, Rezende raised allegations of conflicts of interest and other irregularities during a continental competition.
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