Historic Milestone as Dutch and French Sides of St. Maarten Unite at Caribbean Olympic Assembly

~ Sports federations strengthen regional cooperation and prepare formal partnership to create greater opportunities for athletes, coaches and sporting organizations across the island. ~

PHILIPSBURG / WILLEMSTAD | October 20, 2026

PHILIPSBURG — In a historic development for sports on St. Maarten, representatives from both the Dutch and French sides of the island have participated together for the first time in the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) workshops and Annual General Assembly, held in Curaçao from October 15 to 19, 2026.

The joint participation marks an important step toward greater cooperation between the Sint Maarten Sports Federation (SMSF) and the Comité Territorial Olympique de Saint-Barthélemy et Saint-Martin (CTOS SBSM), following the latter organization’s recent admission into CANOC.

The milestone represents more than a symbolic gesture of unity. Both sporting organizations have committed to developing a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at strengthening institutional cooperation, advancing sports development and expanding opportunities for athletes, coaches and sporting associations throughout the island.

One Island, Two Sides, One Shared Vision

The delegation attending the regional gathering consisted of SMSF President Naomi Korstanje and Executive Board Member and Assistant Secretary Kimberly Reyes-Puello, alongside CTOS SBSM President Virginie Carien and Sports Director Peggy Oulerich.

Over the past year, SMSF and its French-side counterparts have worked to strengthen their relationship and secure greater regional representation for Saint-Martin.

The admission of CTOS SBSM into CANOC is considered a significant achievement, providing the relatively young territorial Olympic and sports committee with access to regional networks, institutional partnerships and opportunities for knowledge sharing.

For an island measuring just 37 square miles, the development also underscores the potential benefits of closer cooperation between sporting organizations operating under two different administrative and governmental systems.

Although Sint Maarten and Saint-Martin maintain separate sporting structures, their athletes and organizations share many of the same challenges, including access to training, institutional resources, regional competitions and sustainable sports development.

Building Bridges Through Sports

SMSF President Naomi Korstanje emphasized the significance of the occasion and the opportunities that greater cooperation could create.

“We are stronger together. While our island consists of two distinct administrative territories, we share one home, one passion for sports, and a common responsibility towards our athletes and future generations. This milestone goes beyond representation; it is about building bridges and creating opportunities for the development of sports across our entire island.“

The proposed MOU is expected to provide a framework for closer collaboration between the two organizations, although specific agreements and implementation arrangements have yet to be announced.

SMSF has also expressed its intention to assist its French-side counterparts in developing additional regional relationships, including exploring opportunities through Centro Caribe Sports and other Caribbean sporting institutions.

Such cooperation could potentially create new avenues for athlete development, coaching education, institutional capacity building and participation in regional sporting initiatives.

French-Side Olympic Committee Welcomes Regional Recognition

For CTOS SBSM, admission into CANOC represents an important stage in its institutional development and recognition within the wider Caribbean sporting community.

CTOS SBSM President Virginie Carien welcomed the development, highlighting the value of regional integration and cooperation between the two sides of the island.

“Joining CANOC represents an important step forward for CTOS SBSM and for the sporting movement of Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélemy. It gives us the opportunity to strengthen our Caribbean identity, build new partnerships and create new pathways for our athletes, coaches and sports organizations.“

Carien also stressed that cooperation could produce opportunities that would otherwise be difficult for the respective organizations to achieve independently.

“We strongly believe that cooperation between the two sides of our island, and more broadly across the Caribbean, can open doors that would be much more difficult to access individually.“

She expressed appreciation to the Sint Maarten Sports Federation and its president for their support and guidance in helping CTOS SBSM secure its place within the regional Olympic organization.

Regional Workshops and Institutional Development

The CANOC gathering in Curaçao brought together representatives of Caribbean Olympic committees and sporting organizations for workshops, professional development sessions and regional networking.

The October 15 to 19 program included discussions on contemporary trends in sports development, training opportunities, Curaçao’s sporting Honors Night and the annual CANOC General Assembly.

For the Sint Maarten delegation, participation also comes during an important period of internal organizational development.

SMSF is currently implementing the second phase of its restructuring process, focusing on strengthening governance, improving organizational capacity and developing more sustainable support structures for its member organizations and the broader sporting sector.

The federation considers stronger institutional relationships essential to creating a more effective environment for athletes and sporting organizations.

A New Chapter for Sports on St. Maarten

The historic joint participation in Curaçao demonstrates how cooperation between the two sides of St. Maarten can extend beyond traditional administrative boundaries.

While the island remains divided into two distinct jurisdictions, sports offer an opportunity to pursue common objectives, share expertise and develop partnerships that benefit the wider community.

The planned Memorandum of Understanding could become an important instrument for translating this renewed spirit of cooperation into practical initiatives.

Both organizations have indicated that further developments concerning their partnership will be announced as discussions progress.

For now, the message emerging from the CANOC Assembly is clear: despite their different administrative structures, Sint Maarten and Saint-Martin share a common interest in strengthening the future of sports for their athletes and the generations to come.

As the two organizations declared in their joint message:

“One Island. Two Sides. One Shared Vision. TOGETHER, we move sports forward!”

Photo caption: Representatives of the Sint Maarten Sports Federation and the Comité Territorial Olympique de Saint-Barthélemy et Saint-Martin participated in the CANOC Assembly in Curaçao, marking a historic moment of sporting cooperation between the Dutch and French sides of the island.

Source: Press release issued by the Sint Maarten Sports Federation, October 16, 2026. Photographs courtesy of SMSF.

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