Cayman to compete in Inaugural Caribbean Games

(CNS): The Cayman Islands Olympic Committee (CIOC) is working to send a team to compete in the Inaugural Caribbean Games hosted by the Trinidad and Tobago during the period 13 to 19 July. The Cayman team, which will be among 26 participating countries from the Caribbean, will compete in the sports of Athletics, Boxing, Tennis and possibly Beach Volleyball. Competitors are not limited to those who competed at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, but must be among the best the Islands have to offer.

The Chef de Mission (overall person in charge of the delegation) will be James Myles, the CIOC said in a release. Each sport will have a number of officials as well as their athletes. There will also be representation from the CIOC Executive Committee. The government of Trinidad and Tobago will be covering the cost of accommodation and internal transportation for the athletes, coaches, officials and administrators.

CIOC encourages members of the community to attend these inaugural Games and will be looking into the possibility of organizing a charter flight from Grand Cayman for use both by the delegation members and residents.

Tickets for the events for the 2009 Caribbean Games will be available for purchase on line, at retailers to be announced as well as directly from the Local Organizing Committee in Trinidad & Tobago. They will be affordably priced to ensure maximum public participation.

The CIOC says the Caribbean Games 2009 is the most important sporting event in the region for 2009, as this is the inaugural Games and a wholly Caribbean endeavor; hence it is important to present a memorable event.

These Games were born out of discussions with the CARICOM Governments in conjunction with the CARICOM Sports Directors and the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC). It was thought that the Caribbean has such excellent athletes who perform internationally at high level meets including the Olympics, but never “at home” in front of their countrymen.

The Caribbean Games will provide a platform to showcase elite Caribbean Athletes as a means of motivating young sportsmen and sportswomen to aspire to International standards and achievements. It is intended that the Games should expose Caribbean audiences to the Best of the Caribbean Athletes.

The Caribbean Games will be held quadrennially, in the year immediately following the Summer Olympic Games. A maximum of 7 sports may be in competition among which must be 2 team sports to be chosen from football, basketball and volleyball. Non-core sports must be selected from among Olympic Sports disciplines.

The Games are sanctioned by the applicable International Sports Federations, the National Olympic Committees (NOC), the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as well as by the Governments of the participating countries.

Qualifying standards for the Games are established in consultation with the International and Regional Federations. Individual sports have no age limits; while there is an age limit to participants of team sports.

Please log on to www.caribbeangames2009.com for further details on the Games.