JOA President Christopher Samuda.
The Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) continues to put training and education at the centre of sport development.
Through the Advanced Sports Management Course (ASMC), a partnership with Olympic Solidarity, and its own activation “Stamina,” the JOA offers stakeholders a curriculum of practical and comprehensive principles and best practices.
Ethics, business, law, finance, brand and marketing, human resource development, science and information technology merge with other subjects in providing an inter-disciplinary menu in sport education.
The JOA directors are taking the lead and continuing to share their professional competencies and experience as well success models with sport leaders in the ASMC, another edition of which will begin later this year.
JOA President, Christopher Samuda, a prominent Attorney-at-Law and an executive board member of regional sport organisations, will construct for participants a successful sport association within a constitutional and legal framework.
JOA Secretary General and CEO, Ryan Foster, will share the breadth of his expertise as a noted and well-respected Chartered Accountant and his experience as chairman of regional sport Finance Commissions in underscoring the importance of financial literacy, competence, planning, accountability, transparency and viability.
Treasurer of the apex governing body, Nichole Case, who is the Divisional Chief Information Officer for the GraceKennedy Financial Group, brings to the table her corporate credentials and know-how in information systems and technology in outlining industry policies and practices for the benefit of sport associations while established businessman and CEO of Mayberry Investments Limited, Gary Peart, will provide invaluable business principles and strategies as indispensable elements of successful sport entities.
The JOA’s clear policy of investing in training and education is geared towards creating a knowledge-based sector as a prerequisite of a sport industry. Secretary General Foster summarizes the philosophy and approach of the national institution. “You can’t create if you don’t educate. You can’t be the best if you don’t invest and we, the JOA, believe that to succeed we must take the lead” he said.
The ASMC is an internationally recognised and intense six-month educational programme covering, in depth, critical aspects of sport administration. “It’s not a talkfest but an edu-sport multi-disciplinary test” President Samuda remarked.
JOA to honour Jamaica's Paris Olympians at inaugural "Olympic Salute" on November 16
For the first time in Jamaica's Olympic history, the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) will host a formal ceremony to honour the nation’s athletes who competed in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Dubbed “Olympic Salute,” the event is scheduled for November 16 and will recognize and applaud the achievements of the country’s Olympians in a celebration that promises to blend tradition with modern elegance.
JOA President Christopher Samuda described the event as more than just an evening of glamour, saying, “It will be yesterday’s quintessential traditions blending with contemporary tastes, with both seated comfortably in the values of sport which we celebrate and give primacy in the Olympic movement.” Samuda’s words highlight the significance of this event, which will honour not only the athletes' achievements but also the deeper values and spirit of Olympism that guide their efforts.
Set to be an extraordinary affair, “Olympic Salute” will be a quadrennial tradition moving forward, held after each Olympic Games to celebrate Jamaica’s sporting excellence. JOA Secretary General and CEO Ryan Foster emphasized the lasting importance of such a ceremony, noting, “Excellence is not time-bound. It is timeless. So whenever and wherever the JOA observes it, we will applaud with respect and record for posterity while saluting our Olympic ambassadors, those inspired change makers of a great sporting heritage.”
While the event promises a sophisticated and grand atmosphere, with white gloves, pageantry, and all the trappings of a formal occasion, the core of “Olympic Salute” will be its solemn recognition of the dedication, resilience, and grit shown by Jamaica’s athletes. As Samuda further explained, “It is much more than deserving smiles and golden handshakes. It is a celebration of the mettle, resilience, and gravitas of the Olympic spirit exemplified in historic and gallant performances of our sportsmen and women.”
During the ceremony, the JOA will also unveil a new accolade—the Order of Pre-eminence, which will be the highest honour bestowed by the national sports body. This award is part of the JOA’s ongoing commitment to recognizing not just athletic success but also the values of integrity, sporting valour, and excellence that characterize Jamaica’s contribution to the global sporting community.
The “Olympic Salute” marks a historic milestone in Jamaica’s Olympic movement and is expected to set a standard for future celebrations of the nation’s Olympians, who continue to inspire generations with their dedication and achievements on the world stage.
Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) donates JMD$1 million to Jamaica Cycling Federation for equipment upgrade
The Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) has made a significant contribution to the development of cycling in Jamaica by donating JMD$1 million to the Jamaica Cycling Federation. The grant, aimed at boosting the sport’s progress, was used to purchase vital racing and training equipment, including state-of-the-art smart trainers.
The Jamaica Cycling Federation expressed its gratitude for the financial assistance, highlighting the importance of this investment in elevating the sport’s standards. Smart trainers have become increasingly popular in cycling programs worldwide due to their advanced capabilities, which are integral to modern training methods.
“These smart trainers are game changers,” said a spokesperson for the Federation. “They allow riders and coaches to approach training in a more scientific manner, offering features like measuring and tracking energy output, simulating race routes, and even enabling coaches to remotely access training data.”
This technological upgrade not only enhances training efficiency but also opens up new possibilities for coaches to closely monitor and optimize athletes' performance. The equipment's ability to simulate real-world racing conditions and provide accurate data on rider performance will help Jamaica’s cyclists prepare for international competition with cutting-edge tools.
The JOA's donation represents its ongoing commitment to supporting the development of underrepresented sports in Jamaica. “This contribution from the JOA is truly appreciated and confirms the continued support for the growth and development of sports like cycling,” the Federation said.
The equipment is expected to help Jamaica’s cyclists better prepare for regional and international competitions, as the nation continues to push for excellence across various sporting disciplines.
Seasoned journalist Ian Burnett selected for sports journalism summit in the Dominican Republic
Respected sports journalist Ian Burnett is set to join fellow journalists from across the Americas and the Caribbean later this month for a high-level Sports Journalism Summit in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Organized by Centro Caribe Sports (CCS), the summit will provide comprehensive training in both theoretical and practical aspects of high-quality sports journalism.
Burnett was selected by the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) to participate in the program, an opportunity he regards as a significant milestone in his career. "I am deeply honored to be selected by the Jamaica Olympic Association to participate in this prestigious training programme," Burnett said. "I have had the privilege of covering numerous global sporting events. Yet, the opportunity to engage in this focused programme on journalism and sports reporting presents a new horizon for professional growth. The evolving landscape of sports journalism, coupled with the increasing demand for insightful and comprehensive coverage, requires constant refinement of our skills and approaches."
CCS, which owns and hosts the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, is driving this initiative as part of its educational agenda aimed at delivering tailored programs for sports professionals. The summit is intended to build capacity within the sports journalism community, providing journalists with the tools to deliver not just the statistics and outcomes of sporting events but also to convey the values and contexts that shape the sporting narrative.
CCS Second Vice-President, Christopher Samuda, emphasized the importance of the journalist's role in the broader sports ecosystem. “CCS will be hosting fora for sport professionals across the spectrum designed to build capacity," Samuda said. "The journalist telegraphs to an audience larger than that in his national village not only the statistics and rationale of victory, best performances, and defeat but, more importantly, values that inform thought, are defining of judgement, that contextualize past and present experiences and events in sport, and portray a future that learns from the past.”
The JOA, through its business product "Stamina" and the Olympic Solidarity Advanced Sports Management Course (ASMC), continues to promote educational initiatives aimed at sports development. JOA Secretary General Ryan Foster, who co-chairs the Finance Commission of CCS, highlighted the importance of such professional training programs. "For us at the JOA, education is dynamic to sport and sport development, and professional training provides the curriculum for growth and a return on investment. ROIs are themselves key performance indicators of a viable sporting sector," Foster stated.
CCS's inclusive approach involves utilizing the expertise of regional professionals in staging its junior and senior games as well as business forums. Burnett acknowledges the significance of this approach, noting the summit's potential to foster regional collaboration and knowledge sharing. "This programme offers an invaluable platform for sharing knowledge, discussing best practices, and exchanging ideas with fellow professionals from the region. Such a convergence of expertise will undoubtedly strengthen our collective ability to elevate the quality of sports reporting across the Caribbean and the Americas," he said.
Burnett's participation in the summit reflects the ongoing efforts to enhance sports journalism across the region, ensuring that the evolving landscape of sports is met with insightful and comprehensive coverage.
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