Youth Olympic Games
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| Youth Olympic Games |
Youth Olympic Games Closing ceremonies in Singapore, 26 August 2010 |
| Summer Games |
| 2010 • 2014 • 2018 |
| Winter Games |
| 2012 • 2016 • 2020 |
The
Youth Olympic Games (
YOG) is an international
multi-sport event
first held in Singapore from August 14 to August 26, 2010. The games
are held every four years in staggered summer and winter events
consistent with the current
Olympic Games format.
[1] The Youth Olympic Games feature athletes between the ages of 14 and 18.
[2] The idea for such an event was introduced by
Johann Rosenzopf from Austria in 1998. On July 6, 2007, International Olympic Committee (IOC) members at the 119th
IOC session in
Guatemala City
approved the creation of a youth version of the Olympic Games. The
costs of hosting the event will be shared by the IOC and the host city,
while the travel costs for athletes and coaches are paid by the IOC.
While the
2010 Youth Summer Olympics lasted 12 days, the winter version is planned to be a maximum of ten days, with the first edition taking place in early
2012.
[3] The IOC will allow a maximum of 3,530 athletes and 481 IOC accredited officials to participate at the summer games,
[4]
while 970 athletes and 580 officials are expected at the winter games.
The Games will also feature cultural exchange programs and opportunities
for participants to meet Olympic athletes.
Several other Olympic events for youth, like the
European Youth Olympic Festival held every other year with summer and winter versions, and the
Australian Youth Olympic Festival, have proven successful. The Youth Games are modelled after these sporting events.
[5] The YOG are a successor to the discontinued
World Youth Games.
[edit] History
The concept of the Youth Olympic Games came from Austrian IOC delegate
Johann Rosenzopf in 1998.
[6]
This was in response to growing global concerns about childhood obesity
and the dropping participation of youth in sport activities, especially
amongst youth in developing nations.
Another trend cited as a reason for developing the Youth Games is the
growing number of schools that are dropping sports and physical
education from their curriculum. It was further recognized that a youth version of the Olympic Games would help foster participation in the
Olympic Games.
[8]
Despite these reasons for having an Olympic event for young people,
response from the IOC to a purely sporting event was negative.
IOC delegates wanted the event to be as much about cultural education
and exchange as it was about sports, which is why the Culture and
Exchange Program (CEP) was developed as a component of each celebration
of the Games.
Jacques Rogge, IOC President, formally announced plans for the Youth Olympic Games at the 119th
IOC session in
Guatemala City on July 6, 2007.
[10]
There are several goals for the YOG, four of them include bringing
together the world's best young athletes, offer an introduction into
Olympism, innovate in educating and debating Olympic values and to share
and celebrate the cultures of the world.
[11] The city of
Singapore was announced as the host of the inaugural Summer Youth Olympics on February 21, 2008.
[12] On December 12, 2008 the IOC announced that
Innsbruck, host of the
1964 and
1976 Winter Olympics, would be the host of the inaugural Winter Youth Olympics in 2012.
[13]
[edit] Requirements of host cities
The scale of the Youth Olympic Games is smaller than that of the
Olympics, which is intentional and allows for smaller cities to host an
Olympic event. Potential host cities are required to keep all events
within the same city and no new sports venues should be built.
[11]
Exceptions to this building moratorium include a media center,
amphitheater facilities for classes and workshops, and a village for
coaches and athletes.
[11] This village is to be the heart of the Games for the athletes, and the hub of activity.
[11] No new or unique transportation systems are required as all athletes and coaches will be transported by shuttles.
[11]
According to bid procedures, the track and field stadium for the
opening and closing ceremonies must hold 10,000 people, and a city must
have a 2,500-seat aquatics facility (for Summer editions).
[14]
[edit] Financing
The original estimated costs for running the Games were
$30
million for the Summer and $15 million to $20 million for Winter Games,
these costs do not include infrastructure improvements for venue
construction. The IOC has stipulated that costs for infrastructure and
venues is to be paid by the host city.
[15]
The IOC will pay travel costs to the host city and room and board for
the athletes and judges, estimated at $11 million. The funding will come
from IOC funds and not revenues. The budgets for the final two bids for
the inaugural Summer Games came in at $90 million, much higher than the
estimated costs.
[16] The cost of the first games in Singapore escalated to an estimated S$387 million ($284 million).
[17][18]
Sponsors have been slow to sign on for the YOG, due to the fact that it
is a new initiative and corporations are not sure what level of
exposure they will get.
[16]
The budget for the inaugural Winter Games to be held in Innsbruck has
been estimated at $22.5 million, which does not include infrastructure
improvements and venue construction.
[19]
[edit] Participation
Over 200 countries and 3,600 athletes participated in the inaugural 2010 Youth Summer Olympics.
[20] Participants are placed in the following age groups: 14–15 years, 16–17 years, and 17–18 years.
[21] The athlete's age is determined by how old he or she is by December 31st of the year they are participating in the YOG.
[11]
At least one IOC member criticized the plan, noting that smaller teams
from all countries may fail to capture the interest of the media,
nations, and the athletes themselves.
Qualification to participate in the Youth Olympics is determined by
the IOC in conjunction with the International Federations (IF) for the
various sports on the program.
[11]
To ensure that all nations are represented at the YOG the IOC
instituted the concept of Unversality Places. A certain number of spots
in each event are to be left open for athletes from under-represented
nations regardless of qualifying marks. This is to ensure that every
nation will be able to send at least four athletes to each Youth Olympic
Games.
[11]
For team tournaments one team per continent will be allowed to compete
along with a sixth team either representing the host nation or as
proposed by the IF with IOC approval. There is a cap of two teams (one
boys' and one girls') per nation.
[11] Finally, no nation may enter more than 70 athletes in individual sports.
[11]
[edit] Sports
The
sports
contested at the Youth Games are the same as those scheduled for the
traditional Games, but with some adaptations, and a limited number of
disciplines and events.
[22]
For example, in the aquatics sport the IOC decided to include diving
and swimming events but excluded synchronized swimming and water polo.
[23]
Some of the sports have been modified for the Games. The basketball
competition is a 3-on-3 half-court tournament, the periods are five
minutes each, and the first team to 33 points wins.
[24] The cycling disciplines are mountain bike and BMX, and road and track cycling have been left off the schedule.
[25]
Other youth-driven sports may eventually be contested if backed by
international sports federations. In November 2007, it was revealed that
pentathlon will be included, as well as sailing, giving an edge to
candidate cities near water.
The winter edition will feature seven sports. Hockey will have not
only a men's and women's tournament but also an individual skills
challenge.
[26]
In luge, figure skating and short track speed skating there will be
mixed NOC events that will allow athletes from various countries to
compete together in teams. Alpine and cross-country skiing will have
events in which men and women will compete on mixed-gendered teams.
[26]
[edit] Culture and education
Education and culture are also key components for the Youth edition.
Not only does the education/culture aspect apply to athletes and
participants, but also youth around the world and inhabitants of the
host city and surrounding regions. To this end a Culture and Education
Program (CEP) will be featured at each Games.
[8]
The first CEP at the 2010 Singapore Games featured events that fostered
cooperation amongst athletes of different nations. It had classes on
topics ranging from health and fitness to the environment and career
planning. Local students from Singapore made booths at the World Culture
Village that represented each of the 205 participating National Olympic
Committee. The Chat with Champions sessions were the most popular portion of the program.
[8] Participants were invited to hear inspirational talks given by former and current Olympic athletes.
[8]
Emphasis on exchange goes beyond the CEP. Another unique feature of
the Youth Olympic Games are mixed-gender and mixed-national teams.
Triathlon relays, fencing, table tennis, archery and mixed swimming
relays are a few of the sports in which athletes from different nations
and mixed genders can compete together.
[8] YOG organizers are also using social media such as
Facebook,
Flikr, and
Twitter as key platforms for engaging young athletes before, during, and after each celebration of the Games.
[8]
Multi-lingual, multi-cultural, and multi-age requirements are the
targets of the program, which stress the themes of "Learning to know,
learning to be, learning to do, and learning to live together".
[edit] List of Youth Olympic Games
Singapore, host city of the 1st Summer Youth Olympic Games in 2010
Innsbruck, host city of the 1st Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2012
Nanjing, host city of the 2nd Summer Youth Olympic Games in 2014
In early November 2007,
Athens,
Bangkok, Singapore,
Moscow, and
Turin were selected by the IOC as the five candidate cities to host the inaugural Youth Olympic Games.
[28]
In January 2008, the candidates were further pared down to just Moscow
and Singapore. Finally, on 21 February 2008, Singapore was declared host
of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games 2010 via live telecast from
Lausanne, Switzerland, winning by a tally of 53 votes to 44 for Moscow.
[29]
On 2 September 2008 IOC announced that the executive board had
shortlisted four cities among the candidates to host the first Winter
Youth Olympic Games in 2012. The four candidate cities were
Harbin, Innsbruck,
Kuopio, and
Lillehammer.
[30]
IOC president Jacques Rogge appointed Pernilla Wiberg to chair the
commission which analysed the projects. As with the Summer Games, the
list was then shortened to two finalists, Innsbruck and Kuopio, in
November 2008. On December 12, 2008, it was announced that Innsbruck
beat Kuopio to host the games.
[30]
Nanjing, China was selected by the IOC over Poznan, Poland to be the
host-city of the 2014 Youth Olympics. The election was held on 10
February 2010, two days before the start of the 2010 Winter Olympics in
Vancouver.
[31] Thus far only
Lillehammer, Norway, has applied to host the 2016 Winter Youth Olympics.
[32]
[edit] Summer games
[edit] Winter games
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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