CACSO: Steve Stoute Could Aspire to Re-election

(ATR) Steve Stoute says he has not ruled out running for a full term as president of the Central American and Caribbean Sports Organization (CACSO).

Although several months remain before the vote, they would be two, until today, the possible candidates that have transcended, Stoute, and the Dominican Luis Mejía Oviedo, member of IOC and of the Executive Council of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC).

The name of Mejía Oviedo was recently mentioned by the president of the Puerto Rico Olympic Committee, Sara Rosario, in statements to Around the Rings.

Stoute, in his capacity as vice president, took over the management of CACSO in June 2017 after the death of its president, Héctor Cardona. Stoute, president of the Barbados Olympic Committee, was the first person from the Anglophone islands of the Caribbean to lead CACSO/ODECABE.

These were Stoute's responses to questions from Around the Rings:

ATR: This year will be elections in CACSO. Will this be your farewell to the presidency or do you intend to run for another four years?

SS: I have not yet decided whether I will seek election for the CACSO Presidency. I still have some time to make this decision as the elections will be in either September or October this year. I have been involved in the Olympic Movement since 1968 and I need to decide whether I should contribute another four years of my life to the movement. I am being pressured by the Caribbean fraternity and indeed most of the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees membership to seek re-election and as of today, I am inclined to run for the office until 2023.

ATR: If you were to run then would there be two candidates, since ATR is told the Dominican Luis Mejia could be the other?

SS: I am aware that Luis Mejia is very interested in the position. What I understood from my discussions with Luis was that if I decide to run, he would not oppose me but I am unsure whether he is still of that view but I know I will get most of the Caribbean support.

ATR: When is the deadline to formalize the candidacies?

SS: Fortunately or unfortunately, the ODECABE statutes do not dictate a timeframe for the nomination of candidates to serve on the Executive Board. Indeed, nominations can be made on the day of the election and this perhaps is an area that we should amend to follow procedures which are now common in most Olympic organizations.

ATR: What projects do you have pending that you would like to include in a new mandate ?

SS: Our current projects are firstly, to ensure that all the necessary structures are in place for the 2022 CAC Games in Panama. Also a review of the Games program is necessary as the Games are becoming unmanageable. Indeed, the Barranquilla Games cost approximate US$170 million and there are few countries within the CACSO region that can afford such a large bill. The program is under review to look at whether any sports should be excluded and also if new sports should be placed on the program. We have applications from a number of sports for inclusion and the CACSO/ODECABE Commissions will be meeting in San Juan next week to look at this and other issues impacting the CACSO Movement.

ATR: When will the CACSO Electoral Assembly in Panama be held?

SS: As to a specific date for the elections, we are awaiting final word from Panama, the host of the General Assembly as to the most suitable date which will either be in late September or late October, after the World Beach Games.

ATR: All the initial agreements are fulfilled by the Organizing Committee of Panama 2022?

SS: With respect to the 24th Central American and Caribbean Games there are still a number of outstanding issues which we are working to resolve but I have the full commitment of the President of the Republic, the Mayor of Panama City and the Panamanian Institute of Sports.

ATR: What could be the main complexities for the Organizing Committee?

SS: There, however, is a General Election in Panama in May 2019 and all major candidates have expressed full support for the Games. It may be difficult for the Organizing Committee to become fully active until after these elections.

ATR: The Caribbean Islands are frequently hit by hurricanes .... What is the most recent data on the state of the Caribbean's sports infrastructure? And how have international sports organizations and local governments helped?

SS: As far as I am aware, the Caribbean Islands impacted by hurricanes in 2018 have worked to resolve the issues impacting the sports infrastructure. Panam Sports and the IOC have provided assistance to the impacted countries. All of them were able to compete at the Barranquilla CAC Games with some success. The Associate Member countries, like St. Maarten, who are not recognized by the IOC had to rely on their governments for assistance. Right now, David Farmer, the Barbados Olympic Academy Director, is in St. Maarten assisting with the development of their coaching infrastructure. He will shortly be on assignment in the BVI (British Virgin Islands), assisting with the establishment of an Olympic Academy. Indeed, Barbados and other regional NOCs are assisting countries with technical support. David Farmer was also recently in Antigua working on their aquatics sports program.

Reported by Miguel Hernandez.