A case of modernization and sports infrastructure. The Velodrome of the National Stadium in the city of Santiago, Chile (1964-1967)

Abstract

The article proposes the analysis of the construction of the Velodrome at the National Stadium between 1964 and 1967, within the context of urban modernization in the city of Santiago. In this regard, the government of Eduardo Frei Montalva generated investment in sports infrastructure as part of its political agenda, a process included within the overall modernization policies of the period. For the proposed research, it is postulated that the Velodrome at the National Stadium was a response to a modernization process of sports infrastructure that favored the mass participation in sports and physical activities in society. Additionally, it provided the country with the opportunity to organize international events, which were perceived as a showcase of prestige and political value. Its construction process also reflected the conditions of the economic sector at that time. Methodologically, the article offers a review of the records from the Ministry of Public Works in the ARNAD, related to the Velodrome, and sports magazines Estadio and Gol y Gol in the National Library of Chile.