Olympism

Sport has emerged as perhaps the fastest growing industry in the world over the past two decades. We have witnessed the excitement generated by outstanding performances by athletes in every sport and the impact that these have had on interest in the industry at all levels of society.
Professionalism has touched every sport and only the Olympic Movement has been able to retain its amateur status. The quadrennial Olympic Games is the only global sporting event that has been able to remain totally exempt from the clamour for huge cash prizes by its participants yet it remains the greatest sporting spectacle on earth. Read the rest of this entry »

The International Olympic Movement has always valued its autonomy. This is a critical feature of the institution that has ensured its ability to survive beyond the narrow confines of politics and the unfortunate incidence of wars.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC), chief custodian of the International Olympic Movement, was established in times that posed serious challenges to the hallowed traditions of society such that de Coubertin and others who were involved in the establishment of the Modern Olympics considered sport a viable option for youths who were increasingly disenfranchised and marginalised in the so-called development process. A sort of chronic decadence encroached on society threatening the future by its impact on youths. Read the rest of this entry »

Despite repeated calls for change the governmental sports authorities in St Vincent and the Grenadines continue to miss the boat in respect of a systematic approach to the development of sport. Many have not yet been able to grasp the concept of sport as a community development strategy despite their seemingly over-zealous interest in politics and their overwhelming support for the ruling political regime.
Indeed, the approach of the current governmental sports authorities reveals the extent to which they do not even have a proper understanding of the very politics in which they are involved. Read the rest of this entry »