Barbados is about to realise another boxing first.
The Commonwealth Boxing Council will bring its annual general meeting to these shores in a historic November visit as the highlight of a week of activities surrounding the third Caribbean Awards Sports Icons (CASI) ceremony.
CASI founder Al Hamilton made the disclosure in an interview with MIDWEEK SPORT during his second site visit to Barbados last week.
He said he convinced the council to have the two-day convention here as part of the plan to include sporting activities leading up to the November 29 CASI awards dinner.
“We see this as a major boost towards what we’re trying to do with CASI. This is an ideal time for the Government, for corporate Barbados, to get on board in developing sports.”
CASI is also planning to have Barbados host a Caribbean American Zonal Championship bout during that week, which is expected to include events in cricket, football and basketball.
This after local boxer Miguel “Hands of Stone” Antoine became the inaugural champ of that same belt in February after beating the previously unbeaten Guyanese Mark Austin.
The brainchild of Hamilton, CASI was conceptualised as an avenue to award and recognise the achievements of the region’s sporting legends. It will be the third of its kind, following the inaugural event in Jamaica three years ago.
“The whole idea of CASI is two-fold [because] it is to highlight the achievement of our past sporting personalities at the highest level and also to encourage the young to attain those heights,” Hamilton explained.
Nominees in 12 different categories are put forward to be voted for by a group of the region’s sports journalists, headed by Jamaica Gleaner editor Tony Becca.
Those nominees, expected to number close to 40 this year, are then invited to attend the awards ceremony, where the winners are then announced.
“The nomination process is still taking place as we speak and it will be completed at the end of this month,” said Hamilton.
“Once we’ve got that then we’ll be working in earnest to secure their participation and [that of] a number of other high-flying sporting personalities, who we are in dialogue with.”
