Brian C. Lewis
President of Trinidad & Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC)
Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC)

Brian Lewis is the President of the Trinidad & Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) and Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC). He has over 30 years’ experience in sports leadership. Before assuming the presidency of the TTOC, Lewis served on several committees in roles including Assistant Secretary General and Secretary General with a focus on marketing and finance.

Brian is a champion for diversity and gender equality, having launched the “Future is Female” programme under his leadership in the TTOC and his advocacy for the next president of the CANOC to be a woman.

In this episode, Brian discusses the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics because of the COVID-19 virus and the new date of the global championship.  He speaks about the involvement of the National Olympic Committees and the Athletes Federation in the decision-making regarding the postponement of Tokyo 2020.

Brian also discusses:

1. The impact of the postponement of Tokyo 2020 on the dates of other global sporting championships including the 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games which will be held in Trinidad and Tobago.
2. How the 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games can boost Trinidad and Tobago’s economy following the impact of COVID-19
3. The impact on the human and financial resources of the pandemic on the regional National Olympic Committees (NOCs)
4. The possible effect of the pandemic on the Caribbean Games and Junior Pan-Am Games
5. The regional NOCs using the pandemic as an opportunity to increase the use of technology, to be more innovative and their preparation for a crisis
6. Commonwealth Games Federation and how they can position themselves from a marketing perspective amidst the new Tokyo 2020 date

Brian also spoke about his committee’s plans for use of technology during the staging of the 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games and how it can be relevant to the younger demographic.

Other topics discussed are:

1. Regional NOCs’ impact in the decision-making of the IOC
2. The importance of the English-speaking Caribbean NOCs being united and his desire to see them being more strategic at the global sporting administration level
3.  Possibility of funding challenges for NOCs due to the pandemic COVID-19 virus.
4. The TTOC’s plans for athletes’ welfare as they are challenged by the postponement
   of global sporting events

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