Organising committee for Youth Olympic Games to be set up
By Patwant Singh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 22 February 2008 2054 hrs

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SINGAPORE: An organising committee for the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG) will be set up over the next few days to get the ball rolling on the next stage of preparations.

International Olympic Committee Executive Board member, Ng Ser Miang, and Parliamentary Secretary for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Teo Ser Luck, will be spearheading the selection of the organising committee.

Mr Teo said: "We need to attract the best talents in different sectors, and we would not exclude talents from overseas as well. There are some skill sets that may not be readily available locally because Singapore is new to this international sporting arena."

Plans are also underway to get the young to be part of the organising committee.

And while the committee is being decided, another group of stakeholders – the national sports associations in Singapore – has to prepare athletes for all 26 sports for the Youth Olympic Games.

Singapore Sailing started work months ago and has a junior squad of 40 sailors.

Low Teo Ping, president of Singapore Sailing, said: "I have already told the management of Singapore Sailing that because we are on home waters, I am changing my target from two gold medals to three gold medals for the four sailing events at the YOG."

But before the Games takes place in August 2010, Singapore would have had the experience of hosting the first Asian Youth Games.

"That (Asian Youth Games) has been scheduled for 2009. We will use that as a test in preparation for our Youth Olympic Games. We will have to start planning how that can be organised," said Mr Teo.

The Asian Youth Games was proposed by Singapore as part of its YOG bid.


- CNA/so