ATR Newsmaker Breakfast -- Youth Olympic Games

(ATR) Still basking in the success of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, Olympic family members talk about what happens next at the Around the Rings Newsmaker Breakfast.

"The success was much higher than expected," Gilbert Felli, IOC executive director for the Olympic Games, said at the Acapulco breakfast titled "The Youth Olympic Games: Growth Spurt & Growing Pains."

"Now that the Games are through, everybody has their own opinion what to do better or be different. It’s a challenge for us where to go."

Opinion is split on differentiating the Youth Olympic Games even more from the Olympic Games or on adopting some YOG innovations into the "main event."

IOC member Angela Ruggiero, a four-time U.S. Olympian in ice hockey and one of the athlete role models in Singapore, said the Village was livelier than at the Olympic Games because of the culture and education programs that are YOG pillars.

"The athletes were so excited to interact," she said. "Singapore did a wonderful job of having these booths from all over the world where athletes can stop by and visit and talk. They set up little scavenger hunts to get free items. I personally would like to see more of that in the Olympic Games, for the athletes to think about more than just sport, to get Olympism across."

Felli said that while the IOC would like to see increased interaction at the Olympic Games, "We understand the pressure on the athletes at the Olympic Games is not the same as at the Youth Games."

Mix and Match

However, the Olympic Games could see the introduction of some of the mixed events that were so popular in Singapore.

Felli said the mixed teams combining male and female athletes could be incorporated into the Olympics, but those combining athletes from different NOCs according to continent were less likely to happen.

"The pressure of the nations and others will make it difficult," he said.

He added that the concept of mixed teams was introduced so young athletes who were eliminated quickly would have another chance to compete.

Another carryover from the YOG could be the addition of the coach’s oath to the oaths taken by athletes and officials during the Opening Ceremony.

Sergey Bubka, IOC member and IOC Coordination Commission chair for Singapore, said the oath helped engage the coaches. "Reaction was really positive," he said. "It’s important for the coaches to be recognized in this position. Feedback from the coaches was they’re really proud they took this step."

At Bubka’s urging, the IOC Executive Board will consider the innovation as part of its agenda in Acapulco.

"When it’s great idea, why not?" Bubka said.

But Gunilla Lindberg, IOC member from Sweden and secretary general of ANOC and the Swedish Olympic Committee, cautioned against making the YOG too much like the Olympics.

"It should not be a copy of the big Olympic Games," she said. "It’s a new event… and the whole event is to mix competitions and education."

Time and Money

Goh Kee Nguan, CEO of Singapore 2010, said one of the greatest challenges facing the inaugural games was time. The Singapore team had only 2 ½ years to prepare, compared to seven for the Olympic Games. Nanjing, which will host the 2014 YOG, will have four years.

Singapore had to truncate planning and preparation.

"We started about two years after London did," Goh said, "and after one year we were ahead of them, not because we want to but because we have to."

Felli said Singapore was able to deliver the Games in so short a time because of the strong vision, IOC experience and full partnership of the country.

Goh said that although costs were higher than estimated in the bid book, organizers were careful to pinpoint what was critical and not to overspend.

Bubka added that Singapore brought so many ideas, especially in culture and education, that "sometimes we face difficulty in stopping them."

Lindberg said everything worked very smoothly, and Singapore was quick to react to any problems. For the first couple of days, there were food shortages in the cafeteria because Singapore expected "youth" and "guys 2 meters tall" came and "they ate a lot."

Lindberg said the NOCs sent out a survey and will evaluate. "We need to be careful so we’renot spending too much money and also let smaller cities and smaller countries be in contention to host those Games."

More Success Stories

Variations on established Olympic events, such as 3-on-3 basketball, were exciting and drew a lot of attention. The inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck is still trying to finalize its program, which could include variations in events like ice hockey and skiing.

The offbeat events enable some smaller countries to contend for medals. However, Felli said that after two or three Games, the rich countries again dominate, "so we need to find different ways."

Kevan Gosper, IOC member from Australia, pointed out that 40 young reporters from around the world were invited to Singapore, another extraordinary innovation given the tens of thousands of media members at the Olympic Games.

Robert Mutsauke, secretary general of the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee, praised Solidarity for its financial support in talent identification, qualification and paying airfares. "There’s no excuse for any countries failing to send a team to the Games," he said.

Room for Improvement

Lindberg said it was sometimes difficult for the NOCs and international federations to understand the qualification system. "We didn’t know until very late how many athletes we could bring," she said.

Just like its older sibling, the Olympic Games, the YOG had positive drug tests despite trying not to put too much stress on performance and results.

"It was really unpleasantthat there were two positive tests," Bubka said. "We understand this is reality and we need to educate the athletes."

Ruggierosaid it was the first opportunity for many athletes to give a sample and WADA had great visibility.

The age restrictions are a problem, said Hans Lawaetz, president of Virgin Islands Olympic Committee. He said his grandson, who is 11 years old, will never be able to compete because within the 14-18 age range, each federation sets a two-year limit. "Young people around the world never qualify for the Youth Games," he said.

Lawaetz also said trying to select four athletes for the universality positions was convoluted and challenging.

Although the educational program was "fantastic," he said his committee was concerned because athletes and officials had to stay for the entire two-week duration.

On the Horizon

Innsbruck organizer Rosie Pili said the inaugural winter YOG host is very busy with 16 months to go and the Olympic Village is almost built.

"Innsbruck’s a very young and dynamic town," she said, promising a "warm welcome and friendly people."

Lu Zhiping, vice mayor of Nanjing, said there will be differences between Singapore and his city, primarily in cultural background. He also expected more participation by young people in the Chinese city, which has more than 2 million youth.

Ruggiero said that ultimately one of the greatest measures of the YOG’s success is how many athletes go on to compete in the Olympics. "Just merely giving them the idea this is what the Olympics are all about, this is what Olympism stands for, they might be inspired in ways they wouldn’t."

The breakfast was sponsored by the Concerto Group, London’s leading venue and event specialist, and Imagination, the creative force behind a proposed festival in London.

ATR coverage of the ANOC General Assembly

is Proudly Presented by Annecy 2018

Now online! Around the Rings special edition magazine for the

ANOC General Assembly in English, French and Spanish.

Written and reported in Acapulco by Ed Hula and Karen Rosen.