The Island Games in a Few Words

The Island Games are the brainchild of Mr. Pierre Santoni, President of the Regional Olympic Committee and Corsican athlete, first dreamed up in 1989. They were realized in 1997 for the first time in Ajaccio and have continued up until now.

April 1997 – Ajaccio (Corsica):
Elaboration of the first bases of the organization of the games between Mr. Pierre SANTONI and Mr. Marcel Li Got RAMIS, representative of the government of the Balearic Islands.

June 1997 – Ajaccio (Corsica):
Organization of the first Island Games.

October 1997 – Funchal (Madeira):
Elaboration of the calendar of the Games: Corsica (1998), Sicily (1999), Madeira (2000), Balearic Islands (2001), Sardinia (2002), the Azores (2003), the Canary Islands (2004)

February 1998 – Ajaccio (Corsica):
Official creation of C.O.J.I., composed of the Islands of the Azores, Baleares, Canaries, Corsica, Madeira, Malta, Sardinia, and Sicily, with the adoption of statutes and internal rules.

October 1998 – Ajaccio (Corsica):
Organization of the second Island Games.

February 1999 – Strasburg (France):
C.O.J.I. is received by the European Parliament by the intergroup of islands.
June 1999 – Palermo (Sicily):
Organization of the third Island Games.

June 2002 – Funchal (Madeira):
Organization of the fourth Island Games.

November 2000 – Porto-Vecchio (Corsica):
Adhesion of C.O.J.I. to the islands of Cap Vert and Crete.

February 2001 – Palamade de Mallorca (Baleares):
Membership of the Islands of Corfu and Martinique.

April 2001 – Porto-Vecchio (Corsica):
Presentation of the Island Games and C.O.J.I. before the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions Of Europe (CPMR).

June 2001 – Palma de Mallorca (Baleares):
Organization of the fifth Island Games.

October 2001 – Héraklio (Crete):
Nomination of Mr. Juan Antonio SAMARANCH, President of Honor of C.O.J.I., adhesion of Guadeloupe to C.O.J.I. and perennialization of the games: 2005 in Crete and 2006 in Martinique.

January 2002 – Rome (Italy):
C.O.J.I. is received by Mr. Mario PESCANTE, President of the European Olympic Committee and Sub-Secretary of State, Delegate of Sports of the Minister of Italian Culture.

April 2002 – Brussels (Belgium)
C.O.J.I. is received by the European Parliament by Mr. Jaime ANDREU, President of the Commission of Sports, and Mrs. Theresa ZABELL, Vice President of the Commission of Education, Culture, Youth, Sports, and Communication.

June 2002 – Cagliari (Sardinia):
Organization of the sixth Island Games.

November 2002 – Paris (France):
Meeting with the representativre of the Isle of Wight, Mr. Lee MATTHEWS, in order to introduce him to C.O.J.I. and the Island Games in the hopes of a future membership.

November 2002 – Fort-de-France (Martinique):
Meeting with Mr. Henir SERANDOUR, President of the National Olympic Committee and French Athletes. Membership of the Mayotte Islands, Reunion and the Isle of Wight.

May 2003 – The Balerean Islands leave C.O.J.I.

June 2003 – Ponta Delgada/Angra do Heoismo (the Azores):
Organization of the seventh Island Games.

April 2004 – San Augustin de Gran Canaria (Canary Islands):
Membership of the Island of Jersey.

May 2004 – San Augustin de Gran Canaria (Canary Islands):
Organization of the eighth Island Games.

October 2004 – Ajaccio (Corsica):
General Elective Assembly: Pierre SANTONI, creator of the Olympic Games, is re-elected as President of COJI for the 2004/2008 Olympiad. Sicily becomes the candidate for the organization of the Island Games in 2006 in place of Martinique. Corsica is the candidate for the organization of the 2007 games and Guadeloupe for the 2008 games.

May 2005 – Heraklion (Crete): The Balerean Islands re-join COJI by the intermediary of the Union of the Federation of the Balerean Islands (U.F.E.B.). Organization of the ninth Island Games.

May 2006 – Palermo (Sicily):
Membership of the Korcula Islands (Croatia) and the Island of Elba (Italy). Organization of the tenth Island Games.

May 2007 – Organization of the eleventh Island Games in Corsica.