IOC Elects Singapore to Host First-ever Youth Olympic Games in 2010

Lausanne, Switzerland - February 21, 2008

IOC President Jacques Rogge today announced that Singapore has been elected by International Olympic Committee Members to host the first-ever Youth Olympic Games in 2010.

Singapore edged out Moscow on a postal poll by eligible IOC Members of 53 votes to 44.

Speaking from the Olympic Museum, IOC President Rogge said “the Youth Olympic Games are the flagship of the IOC’s determination to reach out to young people. These Games will not only be about competition. They will also be the platform through which youngsters will learn about the Olympic values and the benefits of sport, and will share their experiences with other communities around the globe. We are looking forward to joining in the celebration in Singapore in 2010.”

The IOC President thanked Moscow for its excellent efforts and the quality of its candidature, and paid tribute to the other seven Candidate Cities which took part in a candidature process that started in August 2007

Initially, the IOC had received submissions from nine applicant cities, including:

· Athens, Greece
· Bangkok, Thailand
· Debrecen, Hungary
· Guatemala City, Guatemala
· Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
· Moscow, Russia
· Poznan, Poland
· Singapore
· Torino, Italy

In November 2007, the IOC narrowed the field from nine to five cities, based upon candidature files submitted in October 2007. The five cities were:

· Athens
· Bangkok
· Moscow
· Singapore
· Torino

In January 2008, the Executive Board of the IOC chose Moscow and Singapore as the two finalist cities from the slate of five, after receiving an assessment and report of the IOC Evaluation Commission, chaired by Olympic Champion and IOC Member Sergey Bubka.

The Youth Olympic Games aim to bring together talented athletes, aged 14 to 18 years, from around the world to participate in high-level competitions. Educational programmes on the Olympic values, the benefits of sport for a healthy lifestyle, the social values sport can deliver, and the dangers of doping and of training to excess and/or of inactivity will also run alongside the sports competition element of the event.

The first-ever Youth Olympic Games are expected to bring together some 3,200 athletes and 800 officials. The sports programme will encompass all the sports on the programme of the 2012 Olympic Games, but with a limited number of disciplines and events.

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