Following a wave of expressed interest in gaining affiliation to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), moves got underway for the formation of the Saint Lucia Olympic Committee, a major pre-requisite to achieving such an objective.

On the initiative of the then Ministry of Community Development, Social Affairs, Youth and Sports, a number of sporting officials and representatives of national Associations gathered on January 22, 1987 to Launch the Saint Lucia Olympic Committee (SLOC).

Present at the meeting  were Mrs Aldith Isaac, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Youth and Sports officer, Fortuna Belrose, Bryan Walcott of the Saint Lucia  Athletics Association, Raphael Jn. Paul of the Saint Lucia Bodybuilding Association, Paula Calderon of the Saint Lucia Netball Association, Julius Drysdale  of the Saint Lucia Cycling Association (deceased), Denis Saint Clair of the Saint Lucia Volleyball Association and Reginald Cherubin of the Saint Lucia Boxing Association.

Also invited were distinguished  personalities with a commitment to sports development including Dudley Simmons, Eldon Mathurin, Clarina Horscroft (deceased), Laurie Auguste (deceased) and Keith Weekes.

A Constitution was adopted at that meeting and Laurie Auguste was voted President of an Executive Committee to serve from 1987-1992. Other members included  Clarina Horscroft – Secretary, Keith Weekes – Treasurer. Denis Saint Clair, Julius Drysdale, Reginald Cherubin and Paula Calderon were ordinary members and two Distinguished members were appointed in George Theophilus and Eldon Mathurin.

Only four associations  were affiliated to their International Federation and the SLOC needed five National Federations to be so affiliated in order to gain membership to the (IOC). Saint Lucia’s application was put on hold.

A formal application for admittance to the IOC was made in May 1987 . It was not until September 24 1993 that Saint Lucia’s application with that of Saint Kitts and Dominica was favourably considered . Saint Lucia became a member  of the (IOC) on September 24 1993.

Richard Peterkin became President of the SLOC in 1992 and headed several Executive Committees for the next 20 years before stepping down and succeeded by current President Fortuna Belrose .

Since its inception, the Saint Lucia Olympic Committee continuously and consistently contributed to the holistic  development of Sports in Saint Lucia through wide ranging programmes. It has also consolidated its position by establishing links with other local, regional and international organisations. The SLOC also provides financial, technical and administrative assistance to members.

The island’s admittance to the Olympic family opened the way for participation  in International events like the Central Americaan and Caribbean Games in Ponce, Puerto Rico  in  November  1993 , Maricaibo, Venezuela, August 1998, San Salvador and Mexico City  November-December 2002; Commonwealth Games August 1994, Malaysia September 1998,  Manchester, England  July-August 2002; Pan American Games Mar del Plata March 1995, Winnipeg, Canada  July-August 1999, Santo Domingo Dominican Republic  August 2003 and many other similar Games leading to 2014.

Saint Lucia’s first participated at an Olympic event at the Atlanta Games in the United States  July 13 to August 4  1996. The disciplines contested were Track and Field and Sailing. The athletics team comprised  Michelle Baptiste, Ivan Jn. Marie, Maxwell Seales, Dominic Johnson, and Maxime Charlemagne  with Andrew Magloire manager/coach. The Sailing team included Michael Greene with Michael Gordon Manager/coach and  Abigail Williams –  Chef de Mission.

The island has participated in every Olympic Games that followed, and with the advent of the  Youth Olympic Games, Saint Lucia has been able to enter some of the island’s young budding athletes.The National Olympic Academy was established on March 26 2000 with a primary objective of teaching Olympism through sports, culture and educational activities.