“I feel like an expectant father waiting in the delivery room for the birth to happen,” declared Jacques Rogge, the then President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), in the hours leading up to the Opening Ceremony of the first-ever Youth Olympic Games, which were held in Singapore 10 years ago this month. “I’m optimistic, but I still want to see the baby being born.”
Ten years on from those initial YOG, it is clear that Rogge and the entire Olympic Movement can be very proud of what their “baby” has become. The YOG are now an established elite sporting event that brings young people together from all over the world, providing them with an environment in which they are encouraged to learn, share and build friendships, while supporting them to become the best they can be both on and off the field of play. Here, we take a look at some of the ways the YOG have been most impactful over the last 10 years…
