MARIGOT--Following the creation of the Comité d'Excellence et d'Education par le Sport (CEES) whose President is Marc Ménard, the islands of St. Martin and Saint-Barthélemy now have their own Comité Territorial Olympique et Sportif (CTOS-SBSM), directly attached to the Comité National Olympique et Sportif de France (CNOSF).
Created at its constituent general meeting on August 31, 2023, the CTOS-SBSM was officially recognised by the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF) on September 15, 2023. This is a major step forward for the territory's sportsmen and women, clubs, associations and committees, which until now have been almost entirely dependent on Guadeloupe leagues or committees in their dealings with national sports federations. "Among other things, associations wishing to do so will be able to acquire their sporting autonomy by being linked directly to their national federation (the cycling committee, boxing clubs, gymnastics, etc.)", explained President Alain Gros-Désormaux at a presentation of the committee. For the time being, only soccer is represented by the St. Martin League, and its members are therefore affiliated directly to the French Football Federation (FFF), as members of St. Martin and not of Guadeloupe. Cycling has also taken a step forward with the creation of a Comité Territorial du Cyclisme by its President Eric Hélan, but its licensees still have to go through the Guadeloupe league to be affiliated to the Fédération Française de Cyclisme (FFC). With the creation of the CTOS-SBSM, the Comité Territorial du Cyclisme will become affiliated to it, and it is the CTOS that will federate FFC members. The same will apply to all clubs and associations, which until now have operated in isolation, under the Guadeloupean umbrella of the committees or leagues for their disciplines. By affiliating with the CTOS-SMSB, the supervisory links will be directly with France, giving the two northern islands their sporting autonomy. CTOS-SBSM will be eligible for national subsidies, enabling it to access funding to better structure the sports sector, both in terms of organizing competitions and training sports professionals. The implementation of this CTOS SBSM will enable the region's many talents to be better channeled, and to better structure the implementation of a circuit towards high level and professionalization. The CTOS-SBSM's resources will come from membership fees and subscriptions, subsidies that may be granted (by the State and the local authorities of Saint-Barthélemy and Saint Martin), contributions from any private individual or legal entity and, more generally, any other resource authorised by the laws and regulations in force that is useful in achieving its objectives and attaining its goals. In addition, through the CTOS SBSM, will be able to take part in the Islands Games on behalf of their own territory, as well as in numerous other regional, national and international competitions, right up to the Olympic Games. The CTOS-SBSM is administered by the following executive committee members: President Alain Gros-Desormeaux, Vice President Andy Armongon, Vice President Cécile Lucidarme, Vice President Patrick Trival, Vice President Aurélie Soucy, General Secretary Line Patrice-Taylor, Deputy General Secretary Virginie Carien, Treasurer Eddy Manlius, and Assistant Treasurer Steve Galvani.
