Addressing a meeting of the Pan American Association of Sports Confederations (ACODEPA) in the Mexican beach resort of Puerto Vallarta, Quiñones also disclosed that a 37-sport programme was in prospect, consisting of the 36 sports to be contested this July at Toronto 2015, plus pelota.

The COP President, who has been spearheading an ambitious drive by the Peruvian capital to lift its profile as an international sporting venue, is facing a delicate situation at home, with COP facing embezzlement allegations levelled by a Peruvian Congressman.

COP has rebutted the allegations in a lengthy statement on its website, arguing essentially that money was used for legitimate - and beneficial - sporting purposes.

Quiñones has offered to resign from his unpaid COP post, but this seems to be a manoeuvre to bring matters to a head, with the situation expected to be resolved at an assembly later this month.

The sense of confusion has been increased because Peru is at present without a Sports Minister.

Questioned directly on the predicament, a confident Quiñones emphasised to insidethegames that he had offered his resignation a day before the allegations surfaced.

Quiñones announced the dates of the 2019 Pan American and Parapan American Games due to take place in Lima ©Getty Images



Asked why he had done this, he alluded to remarks made by Thomas Bach, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President, at last month's Extraordinary IOC Session in Monte Carlo, to the effect that the time to promulgate change was when times were good not bad.

"You have to at some point ask your people if they want you," Quiñones said.

The impression left is of a man attempting to ensure that he has an unequivocal mandate to lead the Peruvian Olympic Movement into one of the most critical and challenging periods in its history.

In addition to the 2019 Pan American and Parapan American Games, Peru is to host a succession of prominent international events in coming years; Lima was also recently awarded the 2017 IOC Session at which the host city for the 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games is to be selected.