The Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees was legally inaugurated in 2003, after the first Caribbean Caucus held here in Barbados exactly 15 years ago in 1999. CANOC members are National Olympic Committees from 26 countries around the region, along with a number of Associate Members such as Martinique, Guadeloupe, Turks and Caicos, Montserrat and Anguilla.
The 2014 Annual General Assembly of CANOC will be held again in Barbados and will be officially opened by the Honourable Minister of Family, Culture and Sport, Mr. Stephen Lashley. President of the International Olympic Committee, Dr. Thomas Bach, will also be addressing the meeting. His live video address will create history as it is the first time since being elected IOC President approximately one year ago that he will address a regional body. BOA and CANOC President, Mr. Steve Stoute extended an invitation to the president to address the Assembly when they met in Lausanne, and he accepted my invitation. They discussed a number of issues relating to the regional, continental and International Olympic movement. President Bach has agreed to assist Barbados some of it projects.
Olympic Movement Delegation
Apart from delegates from 26 countries, a number of important individuals within the Olympic Movement will be making presentations to delegates. Mr. Carlos Nuzman, President of the Organizing Committee of the 2016 Rio Games, will speak on the status of these Games with a view to allaying fears generated by adverse media reports that Rio will not be ready in time for the Games.
Pan Am Games Connection
The meeting will also be addressed by the President of the 2019 Pan American Games, Mr. Jose Quinones-Gonzalez. Mr. Quinones-Gonzalez has agreed to provide funding to CANOC, to support a number of workshops and training sessions to adequately prepare regional athletes and administrators, for the 2019 Pan American Games. Canadian Michael Chambers, Chairman of the Pan American Sports Organization Legal Commission, will speak on changes to the Constitution and Statutes of a number of regional Olympic Bodies. The President of the Canadian Olympic Committee will update delegates on the status of the 2015 Pan American Games.
CANOC Elections
The CANOC board elections will also be held. The President of the Trinidad Olympic Committee, Brian Lewis, is challenging Stoute, who has been president of this body for the last 15 years.
Commonwealth Games Bid Cities
There are two cities bidding to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games, namely Edmonton, Canada and Durban, South Africa. Both cities will have delegates on hand to explain to members why their city should be supported when the vote is taken in Auckland, New Zealand in 2015.