Singapore should bid for 2010 Youth Olympics, say industry
players
SINGAPORE: Singapore should bid for the inaugural Youth Olympic
Games in 2010, as this would give the Republic a better chance in
2014, should the first bid be unsuccessful, say industry players
and experts.
The event would also give young athletes a boost to excel in their
sports and perform well at international level, say sports
officials.
The 2005 International Olympic Committee (IOC) session here was the
closest Singapore came to staging an Olympic event. But the
experience gained and the impression left on delegates would help
Singapore in securing the next big event.
The Youth Olympic Games is a new event mooted by the IOC to get the
world's youth to be more active.
And while Singapore authorities are still reviewing the possibility
of hosting it, some industry players think Singapore should grab
the chance.
Low Teo Ping, President of Singapore Sailing, believes putting in
the bid by year-end to host the Youth Olympic Games in 2010 would
give us an opportunity to state our interest to the IOC.
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And if we don't get it this time, probably we stand a better
chance in 2014 when we will again be going in, versus not doing
anything about it now and then later on having to come in from the
cold to bid for it," he says.
Low feels the event would also help National Sports Associations
ramp up their youth development programmes, which would be a good
investment for the future.
In fact, youth development has helped promote sailing - the sport
he helms. And young sailors are doing well on the international
stage.
Other sports can also benefit from the Youth Olympics.
"The Youth Olympic Games is a balance between high performance
sports as well as Olympic education, so I think the education
element of it is equally important. And I think at youth level
we
have very talented athletes in a number of Olympic sports, said Ng
Ser Miang, executive board member of the IOC.
Ng, who was instrumental in bringing the IOC session here, says he
will strongly support Singapore's bid.
He says the bidding process for the Youth Olympics would be shorter
than that for the regular Olympics.
A decision on the host city for the 2010 Youth Olympics would be
out by February next year. CNA/ac
