1948 South American Championships in Athletics (unofficial)

The 1948 South American Championships in Athletics (unofficial) refers to a series of athletics events that were purportedly held, but for which comprehensive and officially recognized results are scarce and often conflicting. Unlike the officially sanctioned South American Championships in Athletics, information about these purported championships is fragmented and incomplete, leading to questions about their true scope and legitimacy.

Existing records suggest that events took place in various locations throughout South America during the year 1948. The motivation behind organizing these events, if they indeed functioned as a unified "championship," is not entirely clear, particularly given the well-established biennial South American Championships. It is possible these were smaller, regional competitions held independently but later collectively referred to as the "1948 South American Championships in Athletics (unofficial)" retrospectively.

Because of the lack of consistent documentation, including official results, venue information, and the involvement of national athletic federations, it is difficult to determine which athletes participated and to accurately verify the outcomes of any specific events. The historical significance of these alleged championships remains ambiguous, and they are generally not considered a part of the official South American Athletics Championships lineage.

The term "unofficial" is used to denote that these events lacked the formal sanctioning and record-keeping associated with the official South American Athletics organization or its member federations. Therefore, any performance records attributed to these events should be approached with caution and verified against other sources. Further research is needed to consolidate information and potentially clarify the historical context of these alleged championships.