IOC President to Address Caribbean NOCs Next Week

(ATR) IOC president Thomas Bach will make his first address to a regional NOC body when the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees meets in Bridgetown, Barbados.

Scheduled for Oct. 15-17, the meeting will attract more than 75 Olympic leaders from the region.

Bach will make an address to the body by video conference and will then spend "about 20 minutes" interacting with CANOC members, said organization president Steve Stoute.

Stoute, president of the Barbados Olympic Association, is being challenged by Trinidad & Tobago Olympic Committee president Brian Lewis for the presidency of CANOC. The election is scheduled for Oct. 17.

Speaking to ATR, Stoute said Lewis’ decision "is a sign of a healthy democracy" and he seemed at ease with the challenge. Stoute has led CANOC for 15 years. In that time, he has secured the 2016 broadcasting rights for CANOC, bringing revenue to the organization and is "imminently" close to securing IOC recognition for CANOC, he says.

Lewis was deferential to Stoute, saying "a lot of good work has gone into establishing the foundations of CANOC." He added that "out of respect for Mr. Soute" he would not launch a visible campaign.

"To continue evolving requires a different look at the issues," he said explaining his campaign.

Written by Ed Hula III

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