CANOC Games reset to 2017

Another attempt would be made to stage the multi-disciplined Caribbean National Olympic Committees (CANOC) Games.

After six years on the shelf, the inaugural edition of the games is back on the front burner of the regional organization’s plan of execution.{{more}}

The staging of the games over two weekends in July 2017 was one of the major decisions taken when the organization hosted its 13th General Assembly last week in Paramaribo, Suriname.

The Caribbean games are timed a few weeks prior to the staging of the IAAF World Championships, which takes place in London, England, August 5-13.

The inaugural games were set for Trinidad and Tobago in 2009, but were cancelled because of the fear of the spread of the H1N1infection.

But the projected 2017 five-sport extravaganza would take place in three territories – Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and Grenada.

Cycling and beach volleyball are slated for Trinidad and Tobago; track and field – Grenada; and swimming and netball – Barbados.

It is expected that about 500 athletes would participate in track and field, with 200 swimmers and 100 cyclists, with one female and one female team per country in beach volleyball. Meanwhile, netball would have the top eight places in the International Federation of Netball Association’s (IFNA) latest rankings.

Not part of the new plans are the disciplines of tennis and boxing, which were on the original agenda for the 2009 Games.

The games would be managed by CANOC, with the respective National Olympic Committees in the three host territories giving support.

Vincentian Keith Joseph, who is the general secretary of CANOC will play an integral role in the organization of the games.

Planned as a quadrennial event, the CANOC Games would be convened the year following the Olympic Games.

At a meeting of Caricom Sports Ministers back in 2001, held in Barbados, a call was made for the region to stage its own Caribbean games.(RT)