Mr Ephraim E Penn was re-elected as President of the BVI Olympic Committee on December 5, 2024. Photo: BVIOC

BVIOC Executive (L-R) 1st Vice President Sabinah Clement, Member-At-Large, Zeablon McLean, 2nd Vice President, Ashley Kelly, President Ephraim E. Penn, Secretary General, Lloyd Black, Treasurer, Mark Chapman. Photo: BVIOC

Representatives from member federations of the BVIOC presented achievements and highlights from their respective associations for 2024. Photo: BVIOC

Mr Penn defeated Mr Dean H. Greenaway aka The Sportsman in a landslide win with 13 votes to 5. 

Mr Penn in an interview with Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) on December 6, 2024, said his re-election is both humbling and gratifying.

“It’s a humbling feeling…and at the same time you’re gratified in that you knew that you did your best,” he said, “You always try to do your best for the country and most importantly what’s best for the athletes.”

Re-election speaks of members’ confidence

His re-election and that of the other elected members he said speaks to the confidence that member federations of the BVIOC have in them to “fulfill the mandate of getting our athletes to major events and do what’s best for sports in the Virgin Islands”.

Re-elected to the BVIOC executive were Mrs Sabinah Clement, First Vice President; Mr Lloyd K. Black, Secretary General; and Mr Mark Chapman, Treasurer.

Newcomers to the BVIOC executive are Miss Ashley N. Kelly; Second Vice President (Former Athletes Commission Representative); and Mr Zebalon A. McLean as Member-At-Large.

“I must say congratulations to all of them and welcome to the new ones…we look forward to working diligently to make sure that the young athlets of this country have a chance like anyone else to compete in any sport like anyone else,” Mr Penn stated.

2 new BVIOC members accepted

Meanwhile, he revealed that the BVIOC gained two sporting federations as new members. The national federations for Cricket and Surfing were officially accepted as BVIOC members Thursday evening.

The other national federations present at the AGM were Archery, Athletics, Basketball, Cycling, Football, Netball, Rugby, Sailing, Skiing, Squash, Softball-Baseball, Swimming, Tennis, Taekwondo, and Volleyball.

Representatives from these federations presented achievements and highlights from their respective associations for 2024.

The term for the BVIOC Executive Board is quadrennial. This new board will serve from 2025 to 2028.