Karaïbes Sports #11

06
WWW.KARAÏBES-SPORTS.COM | AVRIL 2022
Brian Lewis
We have met with the incredible and inspirational president of the CANOC. He has
taken the time to answer our questions about the who is he? If hosting the game in
Guadeloupe was a gamble knowing the language and some publicities about their
facilities? The last is about his definition of success for this event.
Brian Lewis, president of the Caribbean
Association of National Olympic Committee’s
CANOC and you know I have been on the
CANOC executive since 2014 and have
held the position of CANOC President
since 2016. In terms of the decision to
accept Guadeloupe from the Olympic sports
federations to host the first Caribbean games.
While I mean, some people may feel as the
massive Gamble
Fortune favors the brave in my estimation,
I really appreciate the fact that President
Alain Soreze and the Guadalupe Regional
Olympic and Sport Federation was willing
and Visionary enough to offer to host.
I think it was an important and necessary
decision. It is important that CANOC and
the CANOC members which includes
Guadeloupe appreciate and embrace its
important role and responsibilities to
inspire, motivate and encourage
the youth and young people of
the Caribbean. I’m to strive for
achievement and to strive to be the
best that they can be, not only in the
will of sport, but also in context of
the power level of sport to
unite people in communities
to foster good health and
physical activity and
positive humanistic values.
In that regard I think it is
while yes, Guadeloupe is
French. The reality is that
CANOC incorporates
amongst its 22 members,
Spanish, French, English
and Dutch and I think it is
important. Sport can unite and
the reality is that in the context
of the Caribbean and the
CANOC, Unity is our strength,
and our strength is our unity.
It is an amazing and glorious opportunity
coming out of Covid-19 the pandemic on
the economic and Social and Health crisis,
that can CANOC and the Olympic and Sport
movement in the Caribbean, embrace the
opportunity to create a legacy of respect,
commitment, dedication and achievement.
We in the Caribbean, we are small, but not
voiceless, we maybe not as financially and
economically well, of other countries, but
certainly, we are not powerless.
We have in the Caribbean, a habit of
excelling. We have a history coming out of
slavery and colonialism have been creative
and innovative and turning something from
nothing into something significant. So I’m
confident that Guadeloupe will pull together.
I mean, we all have to work together.
It’s not going to be easy. We’re doing
something against all odds. And a lot
of people whom may believe that we
cannot pull it off. Reality is that?
In 2009. The game was supposed
to be hosted in Trinidad and
Tobago and two weeks before
the opening ceremony, the
government of Trinidad and
Tobago canceled the game
because of the H1N1 virus.
So, on this occasion, almost
all these years later, the
game was rescheduled
from last year to this year
because of the covid-19
pandemic. Guadeloupe
and CANOC Against All odds
pressed on to cage the historic
First Caribbean games.
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