WYOG. INNSBRUCK, Jan 22 - International Olympic Committee President Jacques ROGGE (BEL) insisted the future of the Youth Olympic Games is “bright” after describing the Innsbruck 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games as "excellent" at a press conference on Sunday.

His confidence, he explained, lies in the success of the first ever Winter Youth Olympic Games, which were held in Innsbruck from January 13-22.

“I can say we had excellent Games. The Organising Committee did a great job, the athletes were happy and we saw top sport,” ROGGE said at Congress Innsbruck.

More than 110,000 spectators watched the events, with 18,914 attending the Ice Hockey competitions, 6,682 at Figure Skating, 4,544 at Alpine Skiing, 34,000 at the Medal’s Plaza and 15,000 at the Opening Ceremony.

More than 66 percent of the athletes regularly took part in the Games' Cultural and Education Programme (CEP), which paid particular attention to the issue of doping, and how to educate athletes on its dangers.

Innsbruck welcomed no fewer than 900 media representatives, and the official website www.innsbruck2012.com was viewed 4.7 million times during the Games.

Peter BAYER (AUT), Chief Executive Officer of the Organising Committee, was equally delighted with how the Games went, from the organisation to the sport itself.

“I’m a happy man today,” BAYER said.

“We were all enthusiastic about the challenge to organise the Games and everyone came in since the beginning working with a smile.”

BAYER acknowledged the crucial role played by volunteers in the success of the Games. “We did not have serious dropouts, which witnesses their dedication and fascination for the event.”

The people of the host nation, according to BAYER, were also central to the success of Innsbruck 2012.

“It was great to see how Austrian people took the atmosphere and participated in the Youth Olympics, as figures show.”

“We wanted to be a good, friendly host. I think we have achieved that. Innsbruck, Tyrol and Austria have shown themselves at their best,” BAYER said.

“The feedback we have received from our guests has been incredible. They have all given us top marks. That is something we can rightly be proud of.”

ROGGE said he was particularly pleased with the new format events that made their Olympic-level debuts in Innsbruck.

“The athletes liked the mixed-NOC, mixed-gender and mixed-sport events,” he said.

“We will, over time, in moderate doses, see events that took place at the Youth Olympic Games to be organised at traditional Games. In Sochi [2014 Olympic Winter Games] we will already see some of them.”

They will be Ski Halfpipe (Men and Women), Women’s Ski Jumping, Biathlon Mixed Relay, Figure Skating Team Event and Luge Team Relay.

Similarly, ROGGE is planning to extend the Culture and Education Programme to the traditional Games.

"After two very good inaugural events in Singapore 2010 [Youth Olympic Games] and in Innsbruck," ROGGE is positive that “the concept of allying sport, culture and education is well accepted by federations and athletes.”

“I will definitely study the issue of having a Culture and Education Programme at the traditional Games. We will obviously have to adapt it to the age of competitors, whose average is 23-25.”

The CEP at the traditional Olympics would be based on the same values as for the Youth Olympics - doping issues and the importance of building a professional and social life after athletes' sporting careers.

“This is what I want to introduce progressively [at the traditional Games]. For London 2012 it was too late, but I’d love to see a Culture and Education Programme in Rio 2016.”

With the next Youth Olympic Games and Winter Youth Olympic Games to be held in Nanjing [2014] and Lillehammer [2016], ROGGE said that the Games will continue to be held in small or medium cities.

“We want cities [that can] rely on existing constructions, we don’t want extra facilities to be built. And we don’t want big capacity stadiums. We prefer small, full stadiums, because the atmosphere is very important,” ROGGE said.

Asked about the overall cost of the Games in Innsbruck, ROGGE explained that “the business model of the YOG is not one that makes a profit. We are not here to make money. We are here to invest in the youth.”

YIS el/rm
January 22, 2012