First Olympic Virtual Sports Festival could be coming to Singapore

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach visited Singapore on Thursday, his first visit to the island city-state as IOC president.

While meeting with members of the Singapore sports fraternity, including officials from local national sports associations and Olympians, Bach discussed the possibility of Singapore being more involved with the Olympic Movement.

First on the agenda is the possibility of hosting the first Olympic Virtual Sports Festival in 2023.

“We would be very pleased to have the inaugural Olympic Virtual Sports Festival here in Singapore,” Bach said. “You were a trailblazer with the Youth Olympic Games in 2010, and maybe you can be a trailblazer again with the Virtual Sports Festival in 2023.”

Singapore annually hosts a Formula 1 race, and has played host to UFC fights and Rugby Sevens matches. Although the island is only about 280 square miles, the over five million residents are passionate about sports.

“I hope and I know Singapore will continue to serve the Olympic Movement positively,” said Singapore National Olympic Council President Tan Chuan-Jin. “We hope to continue to play host to more IOC events in the future, and to encourage and inspire more generations of young Singaporeans to participate in this Movement we’ve all benefited from.”

It would be a big step for Singapore or any city to go from hosting the Youth Olympic Games to hosting the Summer Olympics, but Bach didn’t rule out the possibility one day.

“We are very open in the IOC, and the door is open for Singapore to organize any event, including the Olympic Games, if you are interested and show an interest.”