Celebrations marking 99 days to go until the inaugural Youth Olympic Games were held across the host city of Singapore today, with the Singapore Organising Committee (SYOGOC) enthusiastically proclaiming: “We are ready!”

Thousands turned out to take part in celebratory events ranging from athletic competitions and sports carnivals to fireworks displays as the nation prepares to make history by becoming the first-ever host of the Games for young Olympians from 14-26 August.

The highlight of the day’s activities was the “99-Day Celebration” at *Scape, which was attended by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Education Minister Ng Eng Hen, Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, SYOGOC Chairman Ng Ser Miang and International Olympic Committee Coordination Commission Chairman Sergey Bubka.

The programme for the 99-Day Celebration included the unveiling of the venue-dressing designs and workforce uniforms for the Games, cultural and musical performances, sports activities and a keynote speech from Prime Minister Lee. Some Worldwide Olympic Partners and domestic marketing partners also joined in the celebrations by promoting sports from the summer programme at their countdown booths.

“As we move closer to the start of the Games, I can feel the excitement and buzz in the community growing with each passing day. Many National Olympic Committees and International Federations are finalising their team preparations for Singapore 2010, and I am confident that SYOGOC and the IOC are ready to welcome the world to Singapore for this historic event,” said Ng Ser Miang.

The International Olympic Committee marked the milestone date by releasing a photograph competition on Flickr to capture the spirit of the Youth Olympic Games and by releasing ‘99 seconds’, video interviews with Youth Olympic Games Ambassadors Michael Phelps and Yelena Isinbayeva. The group of 30 Young Ambassadors, nominated by a pilot group of National Olympic Committees, also celebrated ‘99 days to go’ in their regions and communities.

The Coordination Commission concluded its fourth and final visit to the city the same day. SYOGOC is on schedule in its final preparations to deliver the first edition of the Youth Olympic Games.

“With a very strong team and since the beginning of the preparations, the Singapore Organising Committee has worked diligently to ensure the best possible experience for everyone involved,” Bubka said. “Today we can see and feel that the excitement is already there and will continue to build until Games time, especially with the Journey of the Youth Olympic Flame. I speak for the IOC when I say that we are very much looking forward to the Opening Ceremony in 99 days!”

The Youth Olympic Games in Singapore will bring together 3,600 athletes between 14 and 18 years of age from all 205 National Olympic Committees to compete in the 26 sports on the London 2012 Olympic Games programme. A culture and education programme will raise participants’ awareness of the Olympic values and topics such as healthy lifestyles and the fight against doping. A number of communications initiatives will link the youth of the world with the event. A culture programme will ensure a festive atmosphere within the host city.

For more information on the Youth Olympic Games, visit: www.olympic.org/youtholympicgames

The President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Jacques Rogge,  wrapped up a successful trip to Singapore in the lead-up to the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in August. The trip included a tour of the sports venues, Culture and Education Programme activities, and participation in the seminar organised for the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) that will send athletes to the YOG.

During his three-day visit, the President visited the Youth Olympic Village, Games venues, the Opening and Closing Ceremony location and the Intelligent Transport Systems Centre.  He also took part in the Chefs de Mission seminar, which provided the delegation heads of NOCs with information and advice on how to prepare the athletes who will compete in August.  During his trip, he also devoted time to giving motivational speeches to the staff of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC) and local university students.

President Rogge said, “This visit to Singapore has been a fruitful and constructive one, and I am pleased with the way the preparations for the Youth Olympic Games are unfolding. The Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee is doing a great job, and it warms me to see that their enthusiasm for the upcoming Games matches mine. I am looking forward to a superb first edition this August.”

The President was also on hand to launch the Young Ambassador programme, a new initiative that engages 30 young people nominated by their NOCs to help promote the YOG in their regions and communities, and support the athletes before and during the Games as well as during their participation in the Culture and Education Programme (CEP).

Rogge spoke with each of the 30 ambassadors, who range in age from 18 to 28, and the 60 CEP Champions, local representatives who will promote and facilitate the Culture and Education Programme developed by the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee and the IOC.

In addition to paying a courtesy call on Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, President Rogge also met the Singapore National Olympic Council President and Deputy Prime Minister, Teo Chee Hean; the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Vivian Balakrishnan; and other dignitaries.

“We are honoured and privileged to have the President of the IOC visiting Singapore again. We are encouraged by his positive feedback and encouragement.  As we move closer to the opening of the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games in August, I would like to invite everyone around the world to start celebrating the inaugural Games with us.  Together with our partners, Singapore is committed to delivering a successful Games – one that is meaningful and memorable,” said SYOGOC Chairman and IOC Vice-President Ng Ser Miang.

The Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games will take place from 14 to 26 August.

With fewer than 150 days to go until the first Youth Olympic Games (YOG), the International Olympic Committee (IOC) launched its Young Ambassador Programme in Singapore. The new initiative engages 30 young people nominated by their National Olympic Committees (NOCs) to help promote the YOG in their regions and communities and support the athletes before and during the Games as well as during their participation in the Culture and Education Programme (CEP).

The CEP aims to educate, engage and influence young people in sport and the Olympic values, inspiring them to play an active role in their communities, and the Young Ambassadors will help facilitate this goal. The programme also gives athletes advice on careers in sport, social responsibilities and other lifestyle choices.

The Young Ambassadors are between the ages of 18 and 28, come from a variety of backgrounds — from former Olympians to scholars — and represent countries from Australia to Zimbabwe. Sixty per cent are female.

The Ambassadors are in Singapore to take part in an action-packed week of seminars and workshops in preparation for the inaugural edition of the Youth Olympic Games this August in Singapore. The workshops and forums will focus on societal issues of particular relevance to young people.

Five themes will be targeted: Olympism, skills development, well-being/healthy lifestyle, social responsibility and expression through digital media.

At the Games, the Young Ambassadors will mentor 3,600 athletes ranging in ages from 14-18 on what it means to be an Olympian and how aspiring stars should behave on and off the field of competition.

IOC President Jacques Rogge is in Singapore to attend the Chef de Mission Seminar for the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games and met with the Young Ambassadors this morning to discuss their mission.

President Rogge said, “It was a pleasure to meet such an inspirational group of young people who have already achieved so much in their lives. This experience will enrich not only their lives, but also the lives of all the athletes they come into contact with. It is our hope that this goodwill and friendship can in turn find its way back to the communities where they come from.”

“The Young Ambassador programme is a very effective way of reaching out to young people around the world to promote the YOG and the Olympic values. The NOCs have selected very talented individuals and I am looking forward to seeing them in action with their delegation and in their respective communities,” Rogge added.

The Young Ambassador programme is supported by TOP Partner ACER, which has provided each Ambassador with a special Olympic-edition laptop.

Reports of their activities will be updated regularly at www.olympic.org/yog

Working alongside the Young Ambassadors during the Games will be 60 CEP Champions, local representatives who will promote and facilitate the Culture and Education Programme developed by the Singapore 2010 Organising Committee.

IOC Vice-President and SYOGOC Chairman Ser Miang Ng said, “We are delighted to welcome the Young Ambassadors to Singapore. The Young Ambassadors and CEP Champions have an important role to play in the success of the Culture and Education Programme, and we are confident the world class athletes coming will benefit most in Singapore 2010.”

Olympic swimming legend Michael Phelps became the first official Ambassador of the Youth Olympic Games (YOG).

The 16-time Olympic medallist, who is visiting Vancouver to catch some of the Olympic Winter Games action, will support the Youth Olympic Games by encouraging the involvement of young people around the world.

Michael Phelps said “The Youth Olympic Games is an excellent initiative, not only for the athletes competing, but also those who are inspired to get into sport and be more active. I am delighted that I have been given the opportunity to become the first official Ambassador of the Youth Olympic Games, and can’t wait to get working with the YOG team to promote the first event this summer!”

IOC President Jacques Rogge said “We are delighted that Michael is supporting our efforts to launch the Youth Olympic Games. Preparations for the inaugural edition in Singapore are on track, and the IOC is looking forward to welcoming 3,600 athletes to Singapore this summer!”

The first-ever Youth Olympic Games will be held this summer in Singapore. The mission of the YOG is to inspire young people around the world to participate in sport and adopt and live by the Olympic values.

For more information on the Youth Olympic Games, visit: www.olympic.org/youtholympicgames

On 14 August 2010, Singapore will open its doors to 3,600 of the world’s best young athletes for the first Youth Olympic Games (YOG). To celebrate the countdown, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has  launched the visual identity of the Youth Olympic Games – “YOG-DNA”.

The “YOG-DNA” label can be viewed on the YOG website, “the Cube” www.olympic.org/yog, and will be integrated into all YOG digital and social media concepts in both the build-up to Singapore 2010 and future YOG editions. A film has also been created, which takes the viewer on a journey to understand what it means to have YOG-DNA.

“YOG-DNA” is targeted at young people as a label. It represents the attitudes and freedom of young people. The YOG-DNA label will be amalgamated for the first time into a Youth Olympic Games emblem for Innsbruck 2012, which will be launched in February during the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games.

IOC President Jacques Rogge said, “The 200-day countdown is a great milestone in our journey to the Youth Olympic Games. So much has been achieved over a short space of time and we are now in the final stretch. We are not only building an event for the world’s most talented young athletes, we are creating a platform to communicate to young people worldwide to interact through sport, culture and education, all of which is underpinned by YOG-DNA, the Spirit of the Youth Olympic Games”.

The Singapore Organising Committee (SYOGOC) is also celebrating the 200-day countdown by announcing the route of the “Journey of the Youth Olympic Flame” (JYOF), an initiative that intends to bring the Spirit of the Youth Olympic Games to each continent. The Flame will be lit in Athens in July and its journey will visit five international locations, including Berlin (Germany), Dakar (Senegal), Mexico City (Mexico), Auckland (New Zealand) and Seoul (Republic of Korea), before arriving in Singapore in August. Further details can be found on www.singapore2010.sg.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced agreements with MediaCorp, SingTel and StarHub to become the official broadcasters within Singapore for the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010.

Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS), the host broadcast subsidiary wholly owned by the IOC, will be responsible for delivering to these three organisations, as well as to broadcasters around the world, a number of live broadcast feeds and  a 24-hour Youth Olympic News Channel, which will incorporate two daily highlight programmes. The coverage will embrace all broadcast platforms, including free-to-air television, radio, cable television, mobile phone and online.

IOC President Jacques Rogge said: “The first ever Youth Olympic Games will be an important moment for the Olympic Movement. It is the first time we have launched a new event since the first ever Winter Games in 1924. Today’s announcement is a big step forward in ensuring that the Youth Olympic Games are available to viewers on all broadcast platforms, both within Singapore and around the world.”

IOC Executive Board member Richard Carrión, who led the negotiations, said: “I would like to thank MediaCorp, SingTel and StarHub for their hard work in making today’s announcement a possibility. The Youth Olympic Games are aimed not only at those young people competing in Singapore, but also to young people around the world, and we are delighted that we are in a position to be able to make this a reality via live and on- demand broadcast.”

OBS Managing Director Manolo Romero said: ”OBS is excited to be participating in the launch of this visionary initiative of the IOC, by providing broadcasters around the world with comprehensive coverage of the first ever Youth Olympic Games. The broadcast of the Games will endeavour not only to capture the major sports achievements of the young athletes, but will also have a special focus on the cultural and educational components of the Games.”

Mr Shaun Seow, MediaCorp Deputy CEO (News, Radio, Interactive & Print) said: “We are very pleased and honoured to be appointed as an official broadcaster for free-to-air television and radio for the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.  We are equally excited to be working alongside Olympic Broadcasting Services to bring the live action of the Games to viewers through our daily coverage of the Games.”

Mr Edward Ying, Chief, Content and Media Services Group, SingTel, said: “SingTel is very pleased to have the opportunity to bring the excitement of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games to audiences around the region.  Our innovative applications and reliable network will help us to connect with young people, as well as enabling them to catch every single moment of the Games via their favourite delivery mediums – the mobile phone and the internet.”

StarHub Chief Operating Officer, Tan Tong Hai, said: “As a full service provider, we look forward to delivering unparalleled coverage of the Youth Olympic Games across our suite of pay TV, mobile and internet platforms. We are delighted to be able to celebrate and showcase the achievements of the young athletes through multiple channels dedicated to the simultaneous broadcast of live events, as well as the Youth Olympic News Channel, which will be made available free and round-the-clock to all viewers in Singapore.”

MediaCorp has been granted the exclusive broadcast rights on free-to-air television and radio within Singapore, and non-exclusive right to broadcast clips on a delayed basis in English on Channel News Asia, MediaCorp’s proprietary television news channel.

SingTel has been granted the exclusive broadcast rights for the Youth Olympic News Channel on the mobile phone platform within Singapore. In addition, it has acquired the rights to the Youth Olympic News Channel and the live feeds in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines and Thailand on the mobile phone platform.

Additionally, SingTel will cooperate with OBS to develop an internet webcasting solution with a view to maximising the exposure of the Youth Olympic Games internationally.

StarHub has been granted the exclusive broadcast rights to the live feeds on the pay cable television and mobile phone platforms within Singapore, as well as the exclusive broadcast rights for the Youth Olympic News Channel within Singapore on its free Preview Channel, Channel 01.

All three organisations have also acquired the non-exclusive right to broadcast the Youth Olympic Games online (live and on-demand) within Singapore.

In addition to today’s announcement, the IOC has informed all existing official Olympic broadcast partners (in territories outside Singapore) that they have the opportunity to acquire the right to broadcast the Youth Olympic Games within their territory without charge, if they guarantee certain levels of exposure across all media platforms.

The official IOC and Singapore 2010 web sites will also broadcast the Games online (live and on demand) to viewers around the world free of charge.

The Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, to be held between 14 and 26 August 2010, will bring together 3,600 athletes between 14 and 18 years of age from all 205 National Olympic Committees to compete in the 26 sports on the London 2012 Olympic Games programme. A fully fledged educational programme will raise participants’ awareness of the Olympic values and topics such as healthy lifestyles and the fight against doping. A number of communications initiatives will link the young people of the world with the event. A cultural programme will ensure a festive and pleasant atmosphere within the host city.