Photo caption: T & T's Nicholas Paul, left, battles for the lead with South Africa's Jean Spies during the men's keirin race at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Izu, Japa, earlier this year. (Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Sport development is a construct that has been touted a lot during the last decade in the region. As many Caribbean athletes assert their dominance and secure medals at the highest levels of international sport, public pressure has forced many government officials to seriously consider or reconsider investments in sport development.....

If one were to ask the sport administrators in each of the jurisdictions whether or not they have seen sport developed over the last decade, the answer would most likely be in the affirmative.  In fact, statistics on programmes, athlete achievements, infrastructure and investments in sport would be put forward in defence of their answer. But for their answers to be accurate, there would be a need to evaluate their performances in the following areas:

1. Sporting infrastructure
2. Policy and regulatory frameworks
3. Athlete development
4. Capacity building
5. Administration/monitoring and management
6. Funding and financial arrangements
7. Sport-specific programming, and;
8. A system of/for sustainable recruitment and progression

Read Kervin Jean's full article here