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News18 Dec 2008


The risks of the Olympic Youth Games

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The decision to create an Olympic Youth Games, with the first edition to be held in Singapore in 2010, creates opportunities for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the international sport federations to promote positive values in a sustainable way. However, the organisation and staging of the Games entails serious risks of creating unintended and undesirable side effects that could threaten the success of the event or even lead to the self-destruction the current sports system. Among those examined are 1) the practical implications of trying to integrate value educational activities with high-performance sport competition, 2) the exacerbation of negative trends in international sport such as doping and over-commercialisation, 3) the difficulties of designing the competition programme of the Games and limiting the number of participants, 4) issues related to the mass media and hosting cities, and 5) the long-term effects on the senior Olympic Games and international sports. Accepting that the Games will take place, the author recommends that the organisers find creative concepts to address the issues raised and that research be conducted so that lessons for preparation of future editions can be learned.
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