The Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees -CANOC- enters 2026 after concluding a year defined by the strengthening of its institutional framework and the expansion of its international presence. Throughout 2025, the organisation advanced strategic agreements and cooperation initiatives that consolidated its role as a coordinating body for the Olympic Movement in the Caribbean, while reinforcing its capacity for regional and global engagement.
Among the year’s key milestones was the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Peruvian Olympic Committee, alongside the strengthening of collaboration with Cricket West Indies and the International Cricket Council -ICC-. These partnerships led to tangible progress in the development of cricket across the Americas, including steps toward its inclusion in the Bolivarian Games 2025, where the men’s team from Barbados won gold and the women’s team from Trinidad and Tobago secured silver.
Partnerships delivering sporting impact and regional cooperation
Throughout the year, CANOC maintained and expanded institutional relationships with organisations such as the Centre for Sport and Human Rights and Deloitte, while progressing the enhancement of its communications strategy. In parallel, the organisation initiated strategic work toward the establishment of a Caribbean–Africa Sport Alliance, signalling a long-term commitment to South–South cooperation and shared sport development objectives.
Progress was also recorded in the area of infrastructure and high performance through the Hope Estate Project in Grenada, developed in partnership with the University of the West Indies and the Government of Grenada. The initiative is being positioned as an integrated campus and subregional high-performance centre, designed to support athletes and development programmes across the Caribbean.
Photo by Dennis Allen for @TTGameplan
Governance and education as pillars of institutional growth
The institutional dimension of the year was further reinforced by the convening of the 23rd Workshop and General Assembly of CANOC in Guyana, marking the first time the country had hosted the forum. The meetings brought together regional sport leaders and stakeholders for a series of high-level discussions aimed at strengthening coordination, aligning organisational priorities and reinforcing CANOC’s role as a unifying platform for Caribbean sport.
In parallel, CANOC and the University of the West Indies launched the CANOC–UWI Advanced Governance and Leadership Training Course, a programme designed to strengthen leadership capacity and governance standards across the region. The inaugural edition attracted more than 30 sport leaders and practitioners, representing a structured commitment to informed, ethical and effective sport governance.
2026: consolidation, regional agenda and long-term vision
Looking ahead to 2026, CANOC will focus on the delivery and consolidation of the initiatives already underway. The year will begin with an executive workshop in Curaçao and the continuation of the CANOC–UWI training programme in January. The organisation will also mark its 23rd anniversary during the Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo, the city where CANOC was formally established, while rolling out an enhanced communications plan and advancing its sustainability agenda.
Work will continue on the Caribbean–Africa Sport Alliance, alongside ongoing dialogue with the International Cricket Council and Cricket West Indies toward the potential establishment of a Pan American Cricket Confederation. The year will conclude with the CANOC Workshop and General Assembly in Curaçao in October, as the organisation maintains its focus on institutional excellence, good governance and the strengthening of the Caribbean’s collective voice within the international sporting landscape.
