YOG update

Sports competitions programme and qualification systems for the 1st YOG in 2010@IOC

Some 3,594 athletes will compete in Singapore in 26 sports comprising 201 events. The number of sports in the programme is identical to the London 2012 programme. Each event has its own age group* competing, either 15-16 (27 events), 16-17 (111 events) or 17-18 (63 events).

The events differ significantly in order to match the age groups and interests of the young athletes. Basketball will for example be played according to the FIBA 33 formula, with teams of three playing against each other on one half-court. The most important particularity of the YOG is however the numerous mixed–gender or National Olympic Committees (NOCs) – team events in archery, athletics (medley relay), cycling (combined BMX-mountain bike-road event), equestrian, fencing, judo, modern pentathlon (relay), swimming (relay), table tennis, tennis and triathlon (relay).

The qualification system for each sport and discipline, which was prepared in close collaboration with each International Federation (IF), strives to guarantee participation of the best athletes in their age category and to respect the principle of universality by allowing NOCs to benefit from the “Universality Places”.

For all disciplines, competitions such as Junior World Championships, Continental Championships or official junior ranking lists will allow athletes to attempt to qualify for the YOG.

The four team sport** tournaments (football, handball, hockey and volleyball) will consist of one national team per continent as well as a sixth team which will either represent the NOC of the host country or be proposed by the IFs for IOC approval. An NOC will be allowed to have no more than one boys’ and one girls’ team competing for all four team sports.

Besides the sports competitions programme, the YOG will feature an extensive Cultural and Educational Programme (CEP), which aims to introduce, in a fun and festive spirit, the young athletes to Olympism and the Olympic values, and to raise awareness on important issues such as the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, the fight against doping and their role as sports ambassadors in their communities. As a result of close collaboration between the IOC and the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC), an innovative and attractive CEP has been developed, with SYOGOC looking to finalise it shortly and start implementation at the beginning of next year.

Mixed teams set for YOG@straits times

the real innovation of the Games - the brainchild of IOC President Jacques Rogge - is the mixing up of genders in the team competitions, with boys and girls from different countries representing their respective continents.

Certain other sports such as archery, athletics, cycling (with one event a combined one of road race and BMX), fencing, judo, modern pentathlon, swimming, tennis, table tennis and triathlon will also be modelled on that format.

Others will be tried out under another model, such as basketball which will feature teams of just three on half the usual size court.