Sport

Reconstruction of Haiti continues at a steady pace. One of the most recent completed projects is the remodeling of St. Therese Park of Petion-Ville. At the re-opening ceremony, President Martelly and First Lady Sophia attended the re-launching of the sports center.

Youth, Sports, and Civic Action Minister, Magalie Racine, spoke about the government of Haiti's commitment to establish sports arenas in all ten departments on the island. The new St. Therese Park Sports Arena holds 2,700 seats and includes a retail store, player and referee spaces, a meeting room, and snack bar.

Martelly spoke on his government's dedication to press on with reconstruction projects, targeted to improve school facilities. He said the population must be patient, while waiting for development projects to be implemented in their neighborhoods.

Read more →  

The Haitian-born Canadian heavyweight boxer Adonis Stevenson is interested in fighting in Haiti in 2014. During a successful visit on his native land, the World boxing champion hinted that he would be in favor of something lake this.

This idea came up during his meeting on December 13, 2013 at the National palace in Haiti with president Michel Martelly. As the president suggested the possibility for Adonis Stevenson to have one of his fights in Haiti. "We can certainly organize something together" replied his manager. As the president imagines, this can help create more interest about boxing within the general public.

Read more →  

As per latest FIFA/Coca-Cola World Rankings on 17 November 2013, Cuba has topped the Caribbean football squad table leaving behind Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica. Cuba ranked 74th among the world football playing nations, followed by Dominican Republic 78th, Haiti 80th and Jamaica 82nd. Under the current ranking, Cuba gained by 10 points over the earlier FIFA Ranking but Haiti and Jamaica lose (-2) and (-4) points respectively.

Haiti is one among the oldest football playing nations in the Caribbean and one of the early participants in the World Cup qualifying tournament. Its present rank as per FIFA/Coca-Cola Zonal Ranking is 8th; the other countries in the same zonal ranking table include USA (1), Mexico (2), Costa Rica (3), Honduras (4), Panama (5), Cuba (6), Dominican Republic (7), Trinidad and Tobago (9) and Jamaica (10).

Read more →  

Here is the impressive video of the new and improved Parc Sainte Thérèse in Petion-Ville.

The park definitely impressed me. It looks like any soccer stadium that I have in other, more developed countries. Bravo for the team for a job well done.

I just hope there is an annual budget for the maintenance of the stadium,

La rénovation du parc Sainte Thérèse

Read more →  

The government of Haiti (GOH) is always looking for new ways to grow its economy. Of the sectors of tourism, agriculture, and manufacturing, most of its time and money has been spent on attracting tourist dollars. Now the question posed by the GOH is, can a newly-created sports sector revive the Haitian economy?

In response, GOH ministries and other government departments are holding the 1st Sport Business Forum at the Petion-Ville Royal Oasis Hotel. The forum will convene sports executives and former and current players in professional sports: National Basketball Association (NBA), National Basketball Retired Players (NBRPA), and Harlem Globetrotters.

Besides participating in the forum, the NBRPA are touring as Legends of Basketball. They will visit hospitals and healthcare clinics in the poverty-stricken Central Plateau Region. They are partnering with Medishare, which is committed to offering a full complement of healthcare services in the area.

Read more →  

It was long and it was bloody, but, for Adonis Stevenson, the new big storm on the boxing front, defeat was not an option in his fight against his once undefeated contender, Tavoris Cloud.

Months ago, both talented men matched up fairly equally, with zero defeats under Cloud's belt and many consecutive victories racked up by Stevenson. Plus, they both had enough youth, vim and vigor to make the boxing world their oyster.

And then they faced each other. 31 year old Cloud, a former world champion hailing from America, took on Adonis 'Superman' Stevenson, who, in his last bid to defend his world title, had knocked out his then opponent, Chad Dawson, also from the States, in just over a minute. Cloud, however, with his impressive record and years of experience, didn't prove such an easy fight.

Read more →  

The name Don King is almost synonymous with the sport of boxing, but one of the prolific trainer's pupils, Bermane Stiverne, has filed suit against the manager on the claim that King forced him to sign a contract with his Don King Productions, an act which breached the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act.

The boxer, Bermane Stiverne, who was born in Haiti, states that on the 26th of April, 2011, he met with the defendants, including Don King, his production company, King's stepson, Carl King, an associate of King's, Dana Jamison and Elite Sports and Entertainment Management, to sign a fight agreement with a King Productions fighter, Ray Austin.

Read more →  

A total of five Haitians will be participating in the New York Marathon scheduled for today (November 3, 2013). Three men and two women who have been sponsored by J/P Haitian Relief Organization are making the Haitian team along side with actress Pamela Anderson.

What is your opinion about our participation in the New York Marathon?

Wouldn't it be interesting to see one of the Haitians coming in first place?

I still believe that they will be representing Haiti very well. Each of the five runners got their position back in June by finishing in the top spots of a 20-kilometer qualifying race in Haiti. The marathon begins in Staten Island then goes into Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx, to finish back to Manhattan's Central Park.

Read more →  

With Haiti's transportation system, filled as it is with well-occupied moto-taxis on unpaved roads, a little mountain bike riding fits in well in the country that makes nail-biting transportation an everyday occurrence. Called Mountain Bike Ayiti, the stage race is being put on for its second year in the country in January of next year, following the success of the first event early this year.

Having drawn the attention of riders from home and from abroad like, Marla Streb, Hans Rey, and the race's winner, Sonya Looney this year, the race will offer up a challenge to the riders who traverse the aptly titled 'land of mountains' next year. They are bound to find great adventure riding through the mountains above Port-au-Prince and along the coast of Cotes des Arcadins.

Read more →  

President Michel Martelly visited the department of North-East including the town of Ouanaminthe on Tuesday, November 19, 2013. He was accompanied by Magalie Racine, the Minister of Sports and Civic Activities, Mr. Rony Pierre, the Mayor of the city, Jacques Thomas, the Minister of the Environment, the deputy of Ouanaminthe, Mr. Lucner Noel and many other bureaucrats and senior government officials. There, on this trip, he opened the door of the largest sports complex at Ouanaminthe, on the Haiti border town.

The sports complex, in addition to meeting the standards, has a seating capacity for 500 spectators. It includes a soccer field, a court for basketball and a mixed area for volleyball and tennis. Moreover, there are adequate facilities for physical training, cloakrooms and administrative office. While inaugurating he mentioned that if you have proper land and resources, you can develop your community yourself. Thereafter, the Head of State renewed his commitments to build adequate infrastructure under the youth development program all across the country--this is a program in consistence with government's pledge for social and health security of the nation.

Read more →