Singapore on track for YOG 2010 although Games Village needs improvement

By Les Tan. Pictures by Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports

Kay Siang Road, Saturday, November 1, 2008 – The International Olympic Committee’s point man for the Youth Olympic Games Sergey Bubka declared that he was were impressed with Singapore’s preparations so far. He was in town last week together with some members of his Coordination Commission for their first official meeting on the first Youth Olympic Games in 2010.

Said Bubka, an ex-Olympian pole vaulter: “We have no concern with the schedule. Everything is moving according to plan.”

However, he did point out that the Games Village needed improvement. Referring to the proposed Games Village at the Nanyang Technological University-National Institute of Education, he said: “It’s a big place. We have to link it up so that those at the other end of the village can access the other activities.”

Agreeing with him was Ng Ser Miang, chairman of the Singapore YOG Committee: “We need to make the village compact and accessible to the athletes.”

Bubka pointed out one advantage of the Games Village venue though: “We are impressed there are so many training venues in the village.”

As for the number of athletes for each country permitted to attend the games, Gilbert Felli, IOC Olympic Games Executive Director said that there is a “quota for each sport, for each federation. That quota will have to be validated when the IOC meets in December. The general principle is that a certain number of athletes from each NOC (National Olympic Council) will take part part to ensure that each nation is present.”

There are 205 NOCs around the world.

On the home front, the Ministry of Education will soon introduce an Olympic education programme to schools.

Singapore’s mix of races did not escape the attention of the commission’s members. Said Felli: “Singapore is a multi-cultural nation. That’s why the games were awarded to Singapore.”

“Different cultures, different religions, living together. Very impressed,” added Bubka.

Sergey Bubka and his committee members are expected back in June 2009 for their second official meeting. At that time, they expect to have “total finalisation of the venue, transportation strategy” as well as to “validate the final cultural and education programme,” said Executive Director Felli.

Some YOG 2010 facts:
August 14-26, 2008
3,500 athletes
aged 14-18 years old
athletes from 205 countries
26 sports
emphasis on educational and cultural programmes for the athletes