New Lausanne 2020 Chief Coming Soon

(ATR) The memory of Patrick Baumann will be an inspiration to the team planning the 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne, says CEO Ian Logan.

Writing in the latest newsletter from the organizing committee, Logan credits Baumann, who died last month in Buenos Aires at the Youth Olympic Games, for bringing the winter YOG to Lausanne.

"For Lausanne 2020, he signified full support from the first hour, shaping the project from its inception as Chair of the Bid Committee. As Chairman of the Organising Committee, he continued to provide us with his invaluable advice, experience and unique network. We have all lost not only a leader of great quality, but above all a very dear friend," says Logan.

The search is on for a new chairman with a source in Lausanne telling Around the Rings that a decision will come within a few weeks.

The choice will involve consultation with the cantonal and city governments, the main stakeholders for the 2020 YOG.

While there probably is no shortage of capable successors to Baumann, none will be able to match the unique resume he brought to the role. Baumann, who was 51 when he died, was above all an IOC memberresiding in the city. While there are other IOC members in Switzerland, none have that local connection to Lausanne and are not believed to be under consideration.

Baumann was secretary general of basketball federation FIBA, chair of the LA 2028 IOC coordination commission, and president of the Global Association of International Sports Federations, GAISF. Baumann was to have presided over the annual meeting of the association today in Lausanne. The GAISF assembly approved plans for an inaugural Urban Games in 2019 for Los Angeles, a project supported by Baumann.

A public memorial service was held last week for Baumann at the Cathedral in Lausanne, attended by hundreds.

Lausanne 2020 CEO Logan says Baumann will remain an important influence for the organizing committee in these final two years to the Winter YOG.

"As the work continues, our team is stronger than ever. Patrick had given us all his confidence, and he will continue to be our driving force. Our mission does not change. Rather, it is to deliver the vision that Patrick helped to shape: to propose a new type of Youth Olympic Games, for and with the youth, with the Swiss DNA at its core, leaving a lasting impact for our regions and the Olympic Movement at large," says Logan.

Reported by Ed Hula.