KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Netball will be included at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games for the very first time, when the 24th edition of the event takes place in San Salvador, El Salvador in 2023, as a result of the advocacy of the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA).
“Netball got, deservedly, our approval to take a seat at the regional table and with this accomplishment, the journey now begins to globalise the sport and the JOA stands ready to again play a signal role,” said JOA president Christopher Samuda, who is also a member of the Executive Board of Centro Caribe Sports which owns the CAC Games.
“We at the JOA understood that in order to become a resident of the household of multi-sport games of the Olympic movement, the sport had to muscle its way to first in the line and present, persuasively, credentials for occupancy.”
Netball is an established sport in English-speaking regional territories and is now a staple item on the sporting agenda of Spanish-speaking countries.
Secretary General and CEO of the JOA, Ryan Foster, said he was never in doubt the sport would transition.
“I have the privilege of sitting on the Technical Commission of Centro Caribe Sports and from the get-go, I inked my finger and campaigned for netball for I was confident that the sport’s credentials would result in a landslide victory,” he said.
Panama was due to host the 2022 CAC Games from April 22 to May 8, but pulled out in light of COVID-19 concerns. Late last month, a contract for San Salvador to stage the Games in 2023 was signed by Centro Caribe Sports and authorities in the host nation.
It will be the third time the CAC Games are being held in Sal Salvador, following the 1935 and 2002 editions of the event.
