The Barbados Olympic Association Inc. (BOA), through its National Olympic Academy of Barbados (NOAB), officially launched the sixth edition of its Advanced Sport Management Course (ASMC) on May 29, bringing together a dynamic cohort of 22 sports administrators committed to driving innovation and excellence in sports management locally.

The opening ceremony, held at the Hilton Barbados Resort, welcomed participants from various disciplines, including athletics, football, boxing, netball, rugby, volleyball, wrestling, and others. The programme continues to strengthen Barbados’ sporting community by offering in-depth training in key areas of sport management, including strategic planning, resource management, financial management, marketing, and major games management.

Setting the tone for the evening, Assistant Secretary General Shelley-Ann Griffith, in her opening remarks, highlighted the vital role of sports administrators in navigating today’s rapidly evolving sports landscape. She insisted that sports management courses are therefore needed, not only for promoting good governance and professionalism, but also to help athletes adapt to change as they pursue excellence in their disciplines.

For Dr. Sasha Sutherland, Board Director and Chair of the BOA Education Commission, the ASMC stands out as a key resource for sport administrators to tackle the many hurdles faced in sport today.

“With sports as an enabler for progress and at the stage where conflicts and political standoffs can often surface, our administrators must be prepared to tackle these and other dilemmas like climate change, athlete, safeguarding, betting, gambling, and doping in sport, all in addition to your primary functions of management and games preparation,” Dr. Sutherland said.

She continued, “Our ability to guide, execute, monitor, and evaluate performances is important, but so too is our understanding that as administrators, we hold significant influence in the sporting ecosystem. We can create the foundations of ethical leadership in sport beyond the principles of strict liability that are continually placed on our athletes, or we can cause that foundation to falter if we are not committed to our craft.”

Similar sentiments were shared by Programme Director Dave Farmer. Farmer, who first introduced the course while serving as Director of the NOAB, encouraged participants to step outside their comfort zones and draw on the expertise of experienced facilitators and one another throughout the course. He added, “National Federations which are well-managed are better positioned to produce better athletes”.

Meanwhile, Nisha Craigwell, delivering remarks on behalf of the facilitators, spoke passionately about the real-world impact of the training offered by the BOA and the strong network it creates across sporting disciplines. “You are not just gaining knowledge—you are building a community of peers who will support you long after this course ends,” she remarked.

Bringing the voice of the participants to the fore, Ayanna Morgan, an IOC Young Leader (2025–2028), reflected on the transformational potential of sport. She said, “There’s so much untapped potential in our communities, and with the right structures and leadership, we can elevate sport as a force for national and regional development. I see this course as an incredible opportunity to strengthen all of our understandings of the systems and strategies that make sports sustainable, inclusive and impactful.”

Supported by Olympic Solidarity, the ASMC is a tangible expression of the BOA’s commitment to building a skilled, informed, and forward-thinking cadre of sports administrators, equipped to shape the future of sport in the country.

Participants of the sixth ASMC are:

1. Shaquille Agard

2. Ronald Als

3. Lucille Atkinson

4. Kimberlee Barker

5. Orlando Barker

6. Roger Blackman

7. Cicely Callender

8. Amber Cumberbatch

9. Tricia Forde

10. Rodney Forde

11. Carolann Gollop

12. Rajiv Grant

13. Alicia Greaves

14. Kasahra Hinds

15. Kemar Holder-Edghill

16. Mark Lewis

17. Althia Maximilien

18. Ayanna Morgan

19. Owen Proverbs

20. Alicia Rojas

21. Rhonda Scantlebury

22. Pamela Wade