Nanjing 2014 can be a "blueprint for future Youth Olympics," claims IOC's Rogge
Nanjing 2014 can be a "blueprint for future Youth Olympics," claims Rogge
By Nick Butler
Jacques Rogge, the former International Olympic Committee (IOC) President and founding father of the Youth Olympics, has spoken optimistically about his expectations for Nanjing 2014 just days before the Games begin.
The Belgian, who served 12 years as present from 2001 before being replaced by Thomas Bach last September at the end of his term, introduced the Youth Olympic Games in 2007 as a new elite competition for young people, to further their sporting, educational and life experience.
The first edition was held in Singapore three years later, before an inaugural Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck in 2012.
Rogge believes the Games in Nanjing, due to open on Saturday (August 16), will be both "a great success" and also "a blueprint for future Games".
"I have high expectations," the 72-year-old told Xinhua.
"Of course you cannot compare, as the Youth Olympics are smaller than and of a different nature from the traditional Olympic Games.
"But the knowledge of the Chinese Government and Chinese people in organising sports is at the highest."
The official, now Honorary IOC President, cited China's National Fitness Day, held annually on August 8 ever since the Beijing 2008 Games, as an example of this work.
On this day, all public sports facilities open for free, and activities and campaigns emphasising fitness are held across the world's most populous country.
Jacques Rogge at the Opening Ceremony of Singapore 2010 ©Getty Images
Preparations for Nanjing come at a time when there is some ambivalence about the future of the Youth Olympics in a packed programme.
Rogge resolutely defends their importance, pointing out that normally the average age of athletes to participate for the first time in the Olympic Games is around 22 or 23, so having such an event is vital to develop teenage athletes.
"Sport brings health," he told Xinhua.
"Sport strengthens the body and the mind, sport teaches young people more in a team than alone.
"Sport teaches them to respect the referee and hopefully to respect the laws of society later on, and sport helps shape their personality.
"We could give a lot of help to young people with the values of sport and we don't have to wait for the age of 20 or 24.
"That is exactly our reason for starting the Games."
The Games are due to last until August 28 and bring together more than 3,800 young athletes from across the world, all aged between 15 and 18.
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