By Bajan Reporter,Olympic Solidarity
Copyright bajanreporter
The Barbados Olympic Association Inc. (BOA) has launched a new strategic plan to guide its work and development throughout the 2025-2028 Olympic quadrennium, which will conclude in Los Angeles at the 2028 Summer Olympics.
The strategic plan is the result of an extensive and detailed planning process, grounded in research from an internal and external review, conducted by CADRES and funded by Olympic Solidarity. A significant evolution in this iteration of the plan is the consolidation of the Strategic Pillars from five to four:
? Pillar 1 – Driving Excellence: is focused on increasing medals and finalists, supporting athlete development, and expanding access to Olympic scholarships.
? Pillar 2 – Transforming Lives: seeks to boost sports participation, support athlete career transitions, and promote gender equality.
? Pillar 3 – Building Capacity: is designed to help National Federations develop Athletes, and skilled administrators, and coaches; improve governance; and ensure sustainability.
? Pillar 4 – Shaping Our Future: seeks to elevate the BOA’s visibility, attract sponsorships and funding opportunities, strengthen partnerships, and uphold good governance and ethics.
In alignment with Pillar 1, she reinforced the BOA’s commitment to supporting Athletes in a number of funding tiers, including eight Elite Athletes: Rasheeme Griffith, Jonathan Jones, and Sada Williams (Athletics), Amber Joseph (Cycling), Meagan Best (Squash), Chelsea Tuach (Surfing), Heidi Stoute (Swimming), and Matthew Wright (Triathlon). She further stated that these Elite Athletes, with the exception of Joseph and Tuach, are also recipients of Olympic Solidarity Scholarships for the 2025-2028 Olympic cycle.
Treasurer Orson Simpson provided a positive financial update, assuring delegates of the BOA’s robust financial position. He reported a slight decrease in revenue of three percent, but a significant 32 percent drop in total expenses. Furthermore, he revealed that in keeping with its mandate, 66 percent of the BOA’s 2024 revenue was directly disbursed to Athletes and National Federations.
Meanwhile, in addition to President Osborne’s re-election, four other positions were filled without opposition. Assistant Secretary General Shelley-Ann Griffith and Directors Mona Alleyne, Dr. Adrian Lorde, and Dr. Sasha Sutherland were re-elected to their respective roles.
President Osborne expressed gratitude for the renewed mandate, stating, “On behalf of all of us who have been re-elected, I would like to express sincere thanks for the confidence you have placed in us. We all have a passion for working to improve and develop sport in Barbados and pledge to fulfil our responsibility to you, our members.” She also announced that this will be her final term as president, expressing her anticipation of passing the leadership baton in 2028, to enable new ideas and fresh thinking to advance the association.
The re-elected board members will each serve a three-year term.
