MINISTER of Sport and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe congratulated TT Olympic Committee (TTOC) president Brian Lewis on his appointment as chairman of the Sport Integrity Global Alliance’s (SIGA) Standing Committee on Race, Gender, Diversity and Inclusion in Sport.

Lewis, who also serves as the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) president and a SIGA member, was elected to serve in this role on Monday. Ju’Riese Colon, CEO of United States Center for SafeSport, was appointed vice-chair.

The TTOC president will spearhead the diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives of the world’s largest association of sporting governance and integrity.

In a release issued by the minister on Thursday, Cudjoe said, “SIGA’s mandate is to safeguard the integrity of the world of sports through advocacy and meaningful reforms. This independent body is supported by over 100 multi-industry stakeholders worldwide.

“To have our very own Brian Lewis steer SIGA’s committee on Race, Gender, Diversity and Inclusion is simply momentous. His position will directly impact this country’s own efforts to eradicate divisive barriers in sport. There will be much learnings for our sporting administrators and athletes to reap.”

Minister Cudjoe added that TT is raising its voice on the diversity, equity and inclusion agenda. Last weekend, the Special Olympics hosted a virtual charity fundraiser to ensure special athletes have annual support and are better incorporated into mainstream sporting activities.

On his appointment as chair, Lewis said he is ready to serve.

““The SIGA Standing Committee on Race, Gender, Inclusion and Diversity is historic and significant with an incredible opportunity to be a force and catalyst for positive change within global sport.

To be asked to chair the Standing Committee is an awesome honour and responsibility. Coming from a small Caribbean Island it’s a significant statement of inclusion and diversity by SIGA,” said Lewis.

The new SIGA Standing Committee will build upon the work of a multi-stakeholder task force that SIGA established earlier this year on this same topic. This led to a series of recommendations that were publicly announced, two months ago, during the first-ever Sport Integrity Week.

Such recommendations included a review of the SIGA Universal Standards on Good Governance in Sport to include new evolving good practices in this area, such as unconscious bias training for employees of sports organisations, by way of example of a new gold standard.

SIGA Standing Committee on Race, Gender, Inclusion and Diversity:

Chairman – Brian Lewis (TTOC and CANOC president)

Deputy Chair – Ju’Reese Colón (CEO, US Centre for SafeSport)

Members – Affy Sheikh (Head of Starlizard Integrity Services), Angela Smith Chair (Stoke City Supporters Council, Member of Great Britain World champion squash team), Arun Kang (OBE CEO, Sporting Equals), Densign White (MBE CEO, IMMAF), Karin Korb (Wheelchair tennis two-time Paralympian & 10 -time member of USA World Team), Michelle Chai (COO, Olympic Council of Malaysia), Stacey Copeland (First British woman to win the Commonwealth title for boxing), Taylor Green (SIGA member, SIGA Youth Council and SIGA mentee)

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Recognising the need for change with the increase in incidents relating to racism, gender inequity and other forms of negative discrimination across the global sports industry, the Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) on Monday established a Standing Committee, which will be chaired by T&T Olympic Committee (TTOC) president Brian Lewis to deal with the issue.

This new Standing Committee on Race, Gender, Diversity, and Inclusion is another vital step taken by SIGA to promote good governance in Sport.

"It's advocating for real equality of treatment, justice and meritocracy in global sports governance. Tackling systemic racism and racial and gender discrimination and inequalities," said Lewis yesterday. "The SIGA Standing committee is a significant step."

According to a release from SIGA, the Standing Committee will build upon the important work of a multi-stakeholder Task Force that SIGA established earlier this year on the same topic, leading to a series of cutting edge recommendations that were publicly announced just two months ago during the first-ever Sports Integrity Week.

Such recommendations included a review of the SIGA Universal Standards on good governance in sport to include new evolving good practices in this area, such as unconscious bias training for employees of sports organisations, by way of example of a new gold standard.

“The SIGA Standing Committee on Race, Gender, Inclusion and Diversity is historic and significant with an incredible opportunity to be a force and catalyst for positive change within global sports. To be asked to chair the Standing Committee is an awesome honour and responsibility. Coming from a small Caribbean island it’s a significant statement of inclusion and diversity by SIGA," said Lewis, who is also president of the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) and member of the SIGA Council.

He will have the support of Ju’Riese Colon, CEO of United States Center for SafeSport, as the Vice-Chair.

“I am proud to help lead SIGA’s initiatives around race, gender, diversity, and inclusion, as we work toward sport environments inclusive of all athletes. Levelling the playing field and creating systemic culture change begins with promoting athlete safety and well-being. I welcome the opportunity to apply what we have learned here in the US and to work with experts from around the world with the goal of influencing change on a global scale," said Colon in the release.

Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, Global CEO of SIGA and Chairman & CEO of SIGA AMERICA, added that each person has a part to play in the process.

“Look around us. Can any of us be insensitive to what’s happening around us and pretend it’s not our business? Of course, not! Sport can do more. Politicians and business leaders can do more," he said.

"Each one of us can do a lot more to eradicate racism and inequality, in all its forms, from Sport and, through Sport, from our society. And, if we can, we must!

"As we enter into a slow and painful recovery from the global pandemic, there is no better time to remember that, in Sport as in life, regardless of race, gender, place of birth, zip code, religious beliefs or sexual orientation, everyone must be entitled to the same rights and opportunities as others.

"This is a fundamental human right, and it is our moral imperative to do everything in our power to make sure that respect, tolerance and equality are more than just words. With the SIGA Standing Committee on Race, Gender, Diversity and Inclusion we will muster the leadership and foster the necessary culture change.”

The other members of the committee are Affy Sheikh (Head of Starlizard Integrity Services, SIGA Member), Angela Smith (Chair, Stoke City Supporters Council, Member of GB World Champion Squash Team & SIGA Mentor), Arun Kang OBE (CEO, Sporting Equals), Densign White MBE (CEO, IMMAF, SIGA Member), Karin Korb (Wheelchair Tennis 2-Time Paralympian & 10 -time member of USA World Team & SIGA Champion), Michelle Chai (COO, Olympic Council of Malaysia & SIGA Mentor), Stacey Copeland (First British Woman to win the Commonwealth title for boxing and SIGA champion), Taylor Green (Member, SIGA Youth Council & SIGA Mentee).

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SIGA has taken another significant step to promote good governance in Sport by today establishing a Standing Committee on Race, Gender, Diversity, and Inclusion.

This new Standing Committee is set up against a background of increasing incidents relating to racism, gender inequity and other forms of negative discrimination across the global sports industry.

The new SIGA Standing Committee will build upon the important work of a multi-stakeholder Task Force that SIGA established earlier this year on this same topic, leading to a series of cutting edge recommendations that were publicly announced just two months ago during the first-ever Sport Integrity Week. Such recommendations included a review of the SIGA Universal Standards on Good Governance in Sport to include new evolving good practices in this area, such as unconscious bias training for employees of sports organisations, by way of example of a new gold standard.

This newly formed Standing Committee is Chaired by Brian Lewis, President of the Trinidad and Tobago National Olympic Committee (TTOC) and the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) and member of the SIGA Council, while Ju’Riese Colon, CEO of United States Center for SafeSport, will be the Vice-Chaired.

Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, Global CEO of SIGA and Chairman & CEO of SIGA AMERICA, stated:

“Look around us. Can any of us be insensitive to what’s happening around us and pretend it’s not our business? Of course, not! Sport can do more. Politicians and business leaders can do more. Each one of us can do a lot more to eradicate racism and inequality, in all its forms, from Sport and, through Sport, from our society. And, if we can, we must!

 As we enter into a slow and painful recovery from the global pandemic, there is no better time to remember that, in Sport as in life, regardless of race, gender, place of birth, zip code, religious beliefs or sexual orientation, everyone must be entitled to the same rights and opportunities as others. This is a fundamental human right, and it is our moral imperative to do everything in our power to make sure that respect, tolerance and equality are more than just words. With the SIGA Standing Committee on Race, Gender, Diversity and Inclusion we will muster the leadership and foster the necessary culture change.”

 Commenting on his appointment as Chair of the SIGA Standing Committee on Race, Gender, Diversity and Inclusion in Sport, Brain Lewis, who also holds the office of President of the Trinidad and Tobago National Olympic Committee (TTOC) and the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committee (CANOC) and is a member of the SIGA Council, stated:

“The SIGA Standing Committee on Race, Gender, Inclusion and Diversity is historic and significant with an incredible opportunity to be a force and catalyst for positive change within global sport. To be asked to chair the Standing Committee is an awesome honour and responsibility. Coming from a small Caribbean Island it’s a significant statement of inclusion and diversity by SIGA.”

 Ju’Riese Colon, CEO of United States Center for SafeSport and newly appointed Vice-Chair of the SIGA Standing Committee on Race, Gender, Diversity and Inclusion in Sport, concluded:

“I am proud to help lead SIGA’s initiatives around race, gender, diversity, and inclusion, as we work toward sport environments inclusive of all athletes. Leveling the playing field and creating systemic culture change begins with promoting athlete safety and well-being. I welcome the opportunity to apply what we have learned here in the U.S. and to work with experts from around the world with the goal of influencing change on a global scale.

The full composition of the SIGA Standing Committee on Race, Gender, Diversity and Inclusion in Sport is a s follows:

Chair:

Brian Lewis, President, TTOC & CANOC | Member, SIGA Council

Deputy Chair:

Ju’Reese Colón, CEO, US Centre for SafeSport

Members:

Affy Sheikh,  Head of Starlizard Integrity Services, SIGA Member

Angela Smith, Chair, Stoke City Supporters Council, Member of GB World Champion Squash Team & SIGA Mentor

Arun Kang OBE, CEO, Sporting Equals

Densign White MBE, CEO, IMMAF, SIGA Member

Karin Korb, Wheelchair Tennis 2-Time Paralympian & 10 -time member of USA World Team & SIGA Champion

Michelle Chai, COO, Olympic Council of Malaysia & SIGA Mentor

Stacey Copeland, First British Woman to win the Commonwealth Title for Boxing & SIGA Champion

Taylor Green, Member, SIGA Youth Council & SIGA Mentee

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ABOUT SIGA

SIGA is the world´s largest coalition in the field of sport´s governance and integrity. Supported by more than 100 international multi-industry supporters, SIGA is an independent and neutral organisation whose mission is to bring about meaningful reforms and enhance the integrity of all sports through a set of universal standards operated by an independent and neutral body. SIGA is the only organisation to bring together sport, governments, academia, international organisations, sponsors, business, rights holders, NGOs and professional services companies, from every region in the world, around a common cause of fostering greater integrity throughout sport. Click on the hyperlinks for the list of SIGA Members and Committed Supporters and SIGA Partners.

For more information on SIGA, including its vision, mission and reform agenda, please refer to the website: www.siga-sport.com. To contact SIGA, please email: comms@siga-sport.com.

Find SIGA on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SIGAlliance, Instagram at sigalliance and LinkedIN at https://www.linkedin.com/company/sigalliance/.

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TEAM TTO athletes, suffering from dwindling resources and stuck overseas following Covid-19 travel restrictions, are among the nationals desperate to return home.

The re-scheduling of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics - moved from July 2020 to July 2021 - following the advent of the pandemic earlier this year...

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TT OLYMPIC Committee (TTOC) president Brian Lewis has put forward a request to the Ministry of National Security petitioning for expedited consideration for some of TT’s overseas-based Olympic hopefuls.

With the Summer Games just eight months away, he is concerned with the length of time being taken for foreign-based national athletes to secure travel exemptions.

Several potential Olympic prospects remain stranded in multiple countries owing to border closures and travel restrictions courtesy the coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement issued by the TTOC president on Saturday, he said, “It’s a very difficult situation asking for expedited consideration for our Tokyo 2020 Olympians given the desperate need for all the citizens who have applied for exemptions.

“But we have no choice but to do so as Team TTO athletes who need to return home have already applied to the Ministry of National Security.”

Lewis confirmed that a considerable amount of foreign-based athletes are now financially struggling to stay afloat.

“The TTOC is coming under tremendous pressure as athletes preparing for the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics now expected to be held in summer 2021, need to return home.

“With the covid19 pandemic restrictions and the disruption to the International Olympic qualifying schedule, a number of athletes have run out of resources and need to return home to clarify their preparation schedule and how they will finance their required training.”

While the TTOC acknowledges that a considerable number of citizens have also applied to the Ministry of National Security for travel exemptions, Lewis saw it necessary to highlight some of the challenges facing TT’s Olympic hopefuls.

“The TTOC appreciates that thousands of eligible citizens have applied for exemptions and all have a legitimate expectation that their applications will be addressed urgently. The challenge for the TTOC and Team TTO athletes is that with eight months to go to July 23, 2021 opening ceremony, time is of the essence.”

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Our guest this week on TalkSports is the President of the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC), Brian Lewis.