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Youth Olympics get go ahead

 

Youth Olympics get go ahead

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AOC
Youth Olympics get go ahead

The first world Youth Olympic Games (YOG) will be held in 2010 after a unanimous vote of support from the International Olympic Committee members in Guatemala today.

The IOC Session heard the project will “promote peace and eliminate violence amongst the youth of the world”.

The first world Youth Olympic Games (YOG) will be held in 2010 after a unanimous vote of support from the International Olympic Committee members in Guatemala today.

The IOC Session heard the project will “promote peace and eliminate violence amongst the youth of the world”.

It is the brainchild of the IOC President Jacques Rogge who said, “YOG will combat a world epidemic of obesity and diabetes by getting young people participating in sport," Rogge said. 

“The World Health Organisation estimates there are one billion obese people in the world. Children are walking and cycling less, playing fields are disappearing because of real estate pressures and the technology boom is limiting the amount of time kids are devoting to sport, we need to adapt” he said.

The IOC members agreed as one YOG will motivate youth and produce a healthy society, with less crime and drug abuse. It will entice young people away from computer screens and back to sport.

The IOC will invest $30 million US in the first Summer Youth Olympic Games and $20 millionUS in the first Winter YOG in 2012.

YOG will be built on the same model of the Australian Youth Olympic Festival (AYOF) and the European Youth Festivals.

The President of the Australian Olympic Committee, John Coates, told his fellow IOC members the AYOF “has become a stepping stone to the Olympics. This will happen on a world scale with YOG. It will enhance the Olympics not detract from it,” he said.

“Many of the athletes who have competed in our four festivals have gone on to the Olympics and won medals” he said.

He was backed by fellow Australian IOC Members Kevan Gosper and Phil Coles.

“It’s a bold move and it presents a unique opportunity for the world’s youth,” Coles said.

In his address Rogge said YOG “will arrest the alarming number of children dropping out of sport. The education component will focus on the Olympic values and the environment and YOG will pay enormous attention to the prevention of doping”.

The bid process to host the first summer Youth Olympic Games begins immediately with countries clamouring for the honour.

The successful host city will be announced at the next IOC Session in Beijing in 2008.

Juan Antonio Samaranch applauded the initiative.

“This will be a very important step for the Olympic movement which will convince Governments around the world about the importance of sport” he said.

Mike Tancred in Guatemala
AOC

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