Regional Olympic committees stepping up to revive Eastern Caribbean sport

by Michael Bascombe

CASTRIES, ST LUCIA, May 27, 2026 – Alfred Emmanuel says the Association of National Olympic Committees of the Eastern Caribbean States (ANOCES) was created to help fill a major gap in regional sports development following the decline and eventual disappearance of the OECS Sports Desk.

Speaking on Saturday’s TalkSports programme, Emmanuel, a founding member of ANOCES and President of the St Lucia Olympic Committee (SLOC) Inc., reflected on the original vision behind the organisation and its growing role in coordinating sporting opportunities for athletes across the Eastern Caribbean.

“Well, if you can recall, before ANOCES, we had what we call the OECS Sports Desk, which was responsible for trying to coordinate sporting activities in the region,” Emmanuel explained.

According to the veteran sports administrator, the gradual decline of the OECS Sports Desk led to a reduction in regional competitions that once provided valuable opportunities for athletes from the smaller islands.

“We slowly saw the death of the desk, and we saw the decline in the various sporting competitions that we, as small islands, would have benefited from,” he said.

Emmanuel noted that the region’s National Olympic Committees recognised the growing void and decided to collaborate through a more structured organisation supported by independent funding mechanisms.

“So it was with that in mind that we decided, as National Olympic Committees with an independent source of funding, if we come together in an organised manner, we would be of assistance to our members,” he stated.

He admitted that building ANOCES into an effective regional body has not been easy.

“That has been a really painstaking task for us. But I am saying, at the end of the day, I think we’re getting there,” Emmanuel added.

The SLOC President pointed to tangible progress in 2026, revealing that with support from Panam Sports, ANOCES is coordinating five regional sporting events this year.

Among them are the recently held Under-23 3x3 Basketball Tournament in the British Virgin Islands, the upcoming OECS Athletics Championships and Under-20 Beach Volleyball competition in St Kitts and Nevis in July, and table tennis and swimming events scheduled for Saint Lucia later this year.

The renewed programme is being viewed as an important step in rebuilding consistent regional competition pathways for athletes in the Eastern Caribbean.

During the discussion, Emmanuel was also asked whether ANOCES now effectively serves as a replacement for the former OECS Sports Desk.

“I think that’s exactly it,” he responded. “ANOCES now would have to fill that void because clearly the Heads of Government of the OECS… have placed their energies into other areas.”

He stressed that in the absence of a dedicated regional sports structure, organisations like ANOCES must now assume greater responsibility for sustaining sporting development across the sub-region.

“With the absence of a dedicated sports desk, somebody has to pick up the challenge. And if ANOCES had to do it, then so be it,” Emmanuel declared.

Caribbean countries face uphill battle for Olympic Cricket Qualification

by Michael Bascombe

CASTRIES, ST LUCIA, May 27, 2026 – Alfred Emmanuel believes Caribbean nations could face a major disadvantage when cricket returns to the Olympic Games at the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Speaking on Saturday’s TalkSports programme, the President of the St Lucia Olympic Committee (SLOC) Inc. cautioned that many Caribbean people may not fully understand the qualification challenges facing the region under the Olympic structure.

“There is a lot of misconception with cricket now being an Olympic sport, and cricket will be in LA in 2028,” Emmanuel explained.

Cricket is scheduled to make its Olympic return in Los Angeles after an absence of more than a century, with the Twenty20 format expected to be used during the Games.

However, Emmanuel pointed out that, unlike international cricket competitions where Caribbean territories compete collectively under the banner of the Cricket West Indies, Olympic competition rules require nations to participate separately as independent countries.

“We must recognise the fact that we from the Caribbean are coming in at a very big disadvantage, unlike the countries that are there as nations in their own right,” he said.

“Remember in the West Indies, we play as a united front - several countries coming together to play under the banner of Cricket West Indies. That will not be happening in Los Angeles.”

His comments highlight one of the major concerns already being discussed throughout Caribbean sporting circles since cricket’s inclusion was confirmed for LA 2028.

Under Olympic rules, countries such as Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Lucia, and Grenada would need to qualify independently rather than collectively as the West Indies.

Emmanuel suggested that qualification opportunities could also be extremely limited.

“When you follow the roadmap, I can safely say that it will be extremely, extremely, extremely difficult for us in the Caribbean - any of us in the Caribbean - fielding a team in LA,” he declared.

The veteran sports administrator noted that the United States, as host nation, is widely expected to secure automatic qualification, reducing the number of remaining available places.

“The United States, which is the host of LA, would get, I suspect, an automatic qualification for cricket,” Emmanuel said.

“That would now leave us, as I said, at a disadvantage because I think they’re only going with about eight nations for the cricket in LA.”

His remarks are likely to intensify ongoing regional discussions about whether Caribbean governments, cricket authorities, and Olympic committees should begin exploring long-term strategies for Olympic cricket participation.

Observers have already suggested that qualification structures could place smaller Caribbean nations at a severe competitive disadvantage against larger cricket-playing countries with deeper player pools and independent international rankings.

Saint Lucia’s main stadium set for major rehabilitation following years of disruption

by Michael Bascombe

CASTRIES, ST LUCIA, May 27, 2026 – Alfred Emmanuel says Saint Lucia is moving closer to restoring its main athletics facility to full operational capacity following years of disruption caused by the prolonged use of the stadium as a temporary medical facility.

Speaking during Saturday’s edition of the TalkSports programme, the President of the St Lucia Olympic Committee (SLOC) Inc. provided an encouraging update on the situation surrounding the George Odlum Stadium, which has been significantly affected since the aftermath of the fire at St Jude Hospital.

“Well, the good news is the St Jude Hospital has been recommissioned,” Emmanuel revealed.

The George Odlum Stadium, located in Vieux Fort, has served multiple roles over the years, including accommodating medical services following the devastating 2009 fire that severely damaged St Jude Hospital.

Its prolonged use outside of sport posed major challenges for the development of athletics and limited Saint Lucia’s ability to host large-scale regional competitions.

According to Emmanuel, the relocation process is now nearing completion.

“It’s just a matter of time for them to relocate themselves in the facility and vacate the stadium,” he explained.

The veteran sports administrator also disclosed that the Saint Lucian government has already taken steps to begin the next phase of the rehabilitation process.

“I know that the government has taken proactive steps in establishing a stadium rehabilitation committee,” Emmanuel stated.

“So very soon, work will be on its way to rehab the facility.”

The update is expected to bring optimism to athletes, coaches, and sporting federations in Saint Lucia, particularly those involved in track and field, football, and other sports that rely heavily on the stadium.

Emmanuel noted that rehabilitation work has become increasingly urgent because the current athletics track has already exceeded its certified lifespan.

“It will be very timely because the current track at the stadium would have outlived its certification lifespan,” he explained.

Internationally certified tracks require periodic resurfacing and recertification to maintain standards necessary for hosting recognised competitions and recording official performances.

For years, concerns have been raised locally about the condition of the facility and the limitations placed on athlete preparation and competition opportunities.

Saint Lucia previously hosted the CARIFTA Games in 2009 and has long been viewed as one of the Caribbean territories capable of staging major regional sporting events.

However, the stadium situation significantly impacted those ambitions in recent years.

Despite the prolonged challenges, Emmanuel expressed confidence that the country is now moving in the right direction.

“Everything is just falling into place,” he said. “But hopefully, in 2027, we should be able to have the stadium back to full capacity.”

Alfred Emmanuel says CARICOM has "failed" Caribbean sport on regional travel

by Michael Bascombe

CASTRIES, ST LUCIA, May 27, 2026 – Alfred Emmanuel has delivered a blunt assessment of the role being played by CARICOM in the development of Caribbean sport, accusing the regional body of failing athletes and sporting organisations on one of the region’s most persistent issues - inter-island travel.

Speaking during Saturday’s edition of the TalkSports programme, the President of the St Lucia Olympic Committee (SLOC) Inc. expressed frustration over the longstanding transportation difficulties that continue to affect regional competitions, athlete movement, and sports development across the Caribbean.

Travel within the Caribbean has for years been regarded as one of the major obstacles facing sporting organisations, with athletes, teams, and federations frequently forced to navigate expensive airfares, limited flight options, complicated transit routes, and inconsistent regional transportation systems.

Asked whether CARICOM and regional sporting federations could work together more effectively to improve travel throughout the region, Emmanuel did not hide his disappointment.

“Well, CARICOM… I’ve had my battles with CARICOM,” he said.

“And I would be foolish not to make public what I would have told the CARICOM persons in private.”

The veteran sports administrator then delivered his strongest criticism of the interview.

“CARICOM has failed us - and failed us miserably - when it comes to sport and sport development,” Emmanuel declared.

His remarks are likely to resonate with many sporting stakeholders throughout the region who have repeatedly voiced concerns about the impact poor transportation links continue to have on Caribbean sport.

For decades, regional administrators have argued that high travel costs and limited connectivity undermine efforts to organise sustainable youth competitions, leagues, championships, and athlete exchange programmes among Caribbean territories.

Emmanuel suggested that solving the issue ultimately requires greater political commitment and a stronger appreciation for sport at the policy-making level.

“I think it has to do with the mindset of politicians,” he stated.

The SLOC President expressed particular disappointment that even former athletes who transition into political leadership positions often appear reluctant to publicly champion sports development issues once in government.

“At times you sit and wonder - wasn’t this guy a national athlete in this sport or that sport?” Emmanuel asked.

“Wasn’t this young lady an athlete in this sport or that sport?”

Yet, according to Emmanuel, many of those same individuals become noticeably silent on sports matters after entering politics.

“Now that they’re in a position to really drive the process, they’re somewhat lost within the whole process,” he argued.

“You’re not hearing the voices. You’re not seeing the public pronouncements as to what they believe should be done.”

The veteran administrator said he remains uncertain why sport often appears to lose priority status once individuals assume political office.

“To me, once you’ve entered the classroom of the politician, I think then sport is really not on the front burner,” Emmanuel remarked.

His comments come amid continuing calls across the Caribbean for improved regional transportation systems, greater government collaboration, and stronger policy support for sport as both a developmental and economic sector.

SLOC President calls for openness and accountability in sports administration

by Michael Bascombe

CASTRIES, ST LUCIA, May 26, 2026 – Alfred Emmanuel says the decision by the St Lucia Olympic Committee (SLOC) Inc. to publicly release audited financial statements was driven by a desire to promote transparency and dispel misconceptions surrounding the use of Olympic funding.

Speaking during Saturday’s edition of the TalkSports programme, Emmanuel said sports organisations must be prepared to openly account for how funds are distributed and utilised, particularly at a time when governance and accountability continue to face growing scrutiny across the Caribbean sporting landscape.

“Well, I cannot speak for others,” Emmanuel said when asked why few National Olympic Committees in the region publicly release audited financial statements.

“All I can say is that it’s a mandate, I believe, of the IOC and the funding agencies of NOCs for them to have annual audited financial statements.”

The veteran sports administrator noted, however, that while the preparation of audited accounts may be required, making those statements publicly available is often left to the discretion of individual organisations.

“The reason for not making it public, I cannot speak for that,” he added.

Emmanuel explained that shortly after becoming President of the SLOC, he decided the organisation should adopt a more open approach to financial reporting in order to build confidence among stakeholders and eliminate speculation regarding the management of Olympic funds.

“My reason for making it public since I’ve become President of the St Lucia Olympic Committee is to dispel any notion,” he stated.

“There are lots of misconceptions, lots of myths as to what the money is being used for, who is enjoying it for themselves and who is enjoying it for themselves and the family.”

His comments reflect wider concerns that have periodically surfaced across regional sport regarding transparency, governance standards, and the management of funding provided by the International Olympic Committee, Olympic Solidarity programmes, governments, and private sector partners.

Emmanuel believes public disclosure helps reinforce accountability and demonstrates that funds are being distributed appropriately among member federations and sporting programmes.

“So we need to put it in the public domain so they can see for a fact what we are doing with the monies,” he explained.

“Our annual reports will clearly identify the various members, the quantum they have received and whatnot.”

The SLOC President described the organisation as “an open book” and said transparency should never be viewed as a threat by sporting bodies operating in the public interest.

“We have absolutely nothing to hide,” Emmanuel declared. “And as such, we have put out our finances for public scrutiny.”

Several sporting organisations across the region have faced criticism over governance disputes, financial management concerns, and limited public reporting, prompting increasing demands for reforms and higher standards of accountability.