Founded by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge, the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) took the first step towards becoming a reality on 25 April 2007, when the IOC Executive Board unanimously welcomed the President’s idea. At the 119th IOC Session in Guatemala City, the IOC members approved the project on 5 July 2007.
The YOG consist of summer and a winter editions, which take place every four years respectively. The Summer YOG are staged in the years of the Olympic Winter Games and vice versa.
The YOG consist of summer and a winter editions, which take place every four years respectively. The Summer YOG are staged in the years of the Olympic Winter Games and vice versa.
What are these?
The Youth Olympic Games are an elite sporting event for young people from all over the world. An event distinct from other youth sports events, as they also integrate a unique Culture and Education Programme (CEP), based around five main themes: Olympism, Social Responsibility, Skills Development, Expression and Well-being and Healthy Lifestyles.
The sports programme is based on that of the Olympic Games, with 28 sports featured on the summer programme and seven on the winter programme. In addition, the programme also includes exciting new disciplines and formats, such as 3-on-3 basketball, ice hockey skills challenge and mixed gender and mixed National Olympic Committee (NOC) events.
Away from the field of play and through a variety of fun and interactive activities, workshops and team-building exercises, the CEP gives the participating athletes the opportunity to learn about the Olympic values, explore other cultures and develop the skills to become true ambassadors of their sport.
The sports programme is based on that of the Olympic Games, with 28 sports featured on the summer programme and seven on the winter programme. In addition, the programme also includes exciting new disciplines and formats, such as 3-on-3 basketball, ice hockey skills challenge and mixed gender and mixed National Olympic Committee (NOC) events.
Away from the field of play and through a variety of fun and interactive activities, workshops and team-building exercises, the CEP gives the participating athletes the opportunity to learn about the Olympic values, explore other cultures and develop the skills to become true ambassadors of their sport.
Who involved?
The Youth Olympic Games aim to bring together talented young athletes aged from 15 to 18 from around the world (205 National Olympic Committees participated in Singapore 2010 and 69 in Innsbruck 2012).
The Summer Youth Olympic Games feature over 3,500 athletes and are held over a 12-day period, while the Winter Youth Olympic Games feature over 1,100 athletes and last 10 days.
Non-athlete participants, namely the Young Reporters, Ambassadors and Athlete Role Models, are also an integral part of the Youth Olympic Games experience.
The Summer Youth Olympic Games feature over 3,500 athletes and are held over a 12-day period, while the Winter Youth Olympic Games feature over 1,100 athletes and last 10 days.
Non-athlete participants, namely the Young Reporters, Ambassadors and Athlete Role Models, are also an integral part of the Youth Olympic Games experience.
The vision and key elements
The vision of the YOG is to inspire young people around the world to participate in sport, and to adopt and live by the Olympic values.
The YOG are intended for athletes aged 15 to 18 and other young participants. They are the world’s highest level multisport event which incorporates education and culture, inspiring the participants to live by the Olympic values and become ambassadors of Olympism. The YOG are, within the Olympic Movement, a catalyst for sporting, educational and cultural initiatives for young people.
The YOG’s main objectives are the following:
The YOG are intended for athletes aged 15 to 18 and other young participants. They are the world’s highest level multisport event which incorporates education and culture, inspiring the participants to live by the Olympic values and become ambassadors of Olympism. The YOG are, within the Olympic Movement, a catalyst for sporting, educational and cultural initiatives for young people.
The YOG’s main objectives are the following:
- to bring together and celebrate the world’s best young athletes
- to propose a unique and powerful introduction to Olympism
- to innovate in educating and discussing the Olympic values and societal challenges
- to share and celebrate the cultures of the world in a festive atmosphere
- to reach youth communities throughout the world to promote the Olympic values
- to raise sports awareness and participation among young people
- to act as a platform for initiatives within the Olympic Movement
- to organise an event of the highest international sporting standards.
The duration
Compared to the regular Olympic Games, which lasted for 16 days, the Summer and Winter YOG last a maximum of 12 and 10 days respectively. They are held at a time of year that fits in with the sporting calendars and the climate in the host region.
Age group principles
All participating athletes must be 15, 16, 17 or 18 years old on 31 December in the year of the YOG. Age group classification for each sport or discipline will be based on the actual age of the athlete on 31 December in the year of the YOG. Each International Federation (IF) proposes to the IOC a specific age group classification for its sport or disciplines.