The Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) has recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. Sandra Osborne, the President of the Barbados Olympic Association Inc. (BOA), has praised the founding members of CANOC for establishing a strong basis for sports advocacy in the region.
During the opening ceremony of CANOC’s 21st Annual General Assembly at Hilton Barbados Resort, she recounted the origins of CANOC which began in Barbados in 1999 and was formalised in 2003 in the Dominican Republic.
“This occasion, therefore, provides us with an opportunity to formally mark a key milestone and to recognise the contribution of my dear friend and colleague, Steve Stoute, who was one of, if not the principal architect, behind the idea to form this organisation, chairing the Caribbean Caucus from 1999, and then becoming its first President from 2003 to 2017. CANOC has lived up to its mandate and continues as a strong presence in sport regionally,” she said.
During his remarks, Charles Griffith, the Minister of Youth, Sport, and Community Empowerment of Barbados, praised CANOC for its 20th anniversary. Reflecting on the theme of ‘Beyond Possible,’ he encouraged every national federation and athlete to adopt it as a mantra. He suggested that the phrase speaks to what one can achieve if one dares to dream.
“If we are to move forward as a region, and if we are to stand on podium on a regular basis, there must be an effort where all of us are working in concert to achieve a single goal,” he said.
CANOC celebrated its 20th anniversary in Barbados between October 4-8, 2023, with several activities including a two-day sustainability workshop hosted in conjunction with the International Olympic Committee and the BOA, and the 10th Annual CANOC Workshop. The 21st CANOC General Assembly also marks the third time Barbados has hosted this event. Previous General Assemblies were held here in 2008 and 2014.
