A social start to the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games

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A social start to the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games
The 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games got under way today in Nanjing, China with a pulsating Opening Ceremony that quickly spread around the world thanks to thousands of selfies taken by athletes and spectators at the request of International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach.
In the true spirit of the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) the IOC reached out to its 42 million fans as well as the followers of the spectators and athletes in the stadium. IOC President Thomas Bach spoke directly to the 3,800 young athletes taking part in the Games at the Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre to encourage them to share the moment.
“Dear young athletes, these are your Games. This is your moment. So, young athletes, please join me: Let us all capture it – so get your smart phones out and let’s set a record for selfies,” President Bach said, before being joined on stage by five YOG athletes – Lilia Maamar (Equestrian) from Morocco, Jaheel Hyde (Athletics) from Jamaica, Dilixiati Dilana (Basketball) from China, Ivana Jorovic (Tennis) from Serbia, and Gabrielle Fa’amausili (Swimming) from New Zealand – with whom he took his own “YOG selfie”. Everyone in attendance was then asked to post their selfies to #YOGselfie.
“By sending this selfie … you are sending a strong message around the world,” President Bach continued. “You are showing your passion for sport and for fair competition. You are demonstrating that Olympic sport reaches beyond competition. It is also about sharing, learning and making friends across our globe.” Read President Bach’s full speech here.
The Opening Ceremony was produced by Chen Weiya, the executive director of the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. In the true spirit of the YOG, the show got off to a lively start and remained that way throughout the extravaganza in a ceremony tailored to appeal to young people and demonstrate the youthful vitality and spirit of the YOG. There were 4,000 performers in total, 95 percent of whom were young students from Chinese universities.
The Ceremony highlighted the great history of Nanjing and China, its icons and landmarks, including the Purple Mountain Observatory and the Yunjin brocade. Explorer Zheng He's expeditionary voyages to the west and the development of the Silk Road were also showcased, as was the Nanjing 2014 theme song “Dianliang Weilai,” or “Light Up to Meet the Future,” which was performed by an international selection of singers from China, the Republic of Korea and Russia.  
The Opening Ceremony was attended by such dignitaries as President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and IOC Honorary President Jacques Rogge.
The second edition of the Summer Youth Olympic Games will take place between 16 and 28 August. For information on how to watch the Games live or on demand, please click here.

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The International Olympic Committee is a not-for-profit independent international organisation made up of volunteers, which is committed to building a better world through sport. It redistributes more than 90 per cent of its income to the wider sporting movement, helping athletes and sports organisations at all levels around the world.

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For more information, please contact the IOC Media Relations Team:
Tel: +41 21 621 6000 e-mail: pressoffice@olympic.org, or visit our web site at www.olympic.org.
Videos
Live coverage on YouTube and www.olympic.tv
Click here for broadcast quality footage of the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games
Photos
For an extensive selection of photos available shortly after each event, please follow us on: Flickr and Nanjing 2014 photo gallery.
To request archive photos and footage, please contact our Images team at: images@olympic.org.
Social mediaFor up-to-the-minute information on the IOC and regular updates, please follow us on:
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IOC and Samsung extend Worldwide TOP Partnership through to 2020

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IOC and Samsung extend Worldwide TOP Partnership through to 2020
The IOC today announced that it has extended its Worldwide TOP Partnership with Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (Samsung) through to the end of 2020. Samsung will be the official Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Wireless Communication Equipment and Computing Equipment category.

The extension of the partnership between the IOC and Samsung was made official during a signing ceremony with IOC President Thomas Bach, and Jay Y. Lee, Vice Chairman at Samsung Electronics, in Nanjing, China, host of the 2nd Youth Olympic Games, which officially opened yesterday.

IOC President Thomas Bach said: “We are delighted to be able to continue our partnership with Samsung. The funding generated by the TOP Programme directly supports the staging of every Olympic Games, as well as every one of the National Olympic Committees, enabling athletes from all over the world to prepare for and compete at each Games. Samsung also supports the operations of each Games by providing leading wireless telecommunications and technology equipment. In addition, Samsung’s technologies and global marketing reach will engage fans around the world with the Olympic values and the Olympic Movement.”

IOC Marketing Commission Chairman Tsunekazu Takeda said: “I am delighted that we have now reached agreements with all of our existing partners through to at least 2020. This is a clear sign of the strength of the programme and the global appeal of the Olympic Games and the Olympic values.”

Younghee Lee, Executive Vice President of Global Marketing, IT & Mobile Division at Samsung Electronics, said: “Samsung aims to spread the Olympic spirit through our innovative wireless and computing technologies, enabling all fans around the world to stay connected and share the excitement of the Games.  We are proud to extend our involvement in the Olympic Movement, as it is meaningful to us to inspire people through the passion that lies behind the Games and contribute to creating a smarter Olympic Games”.

The extension of the partnership means that Samsung now supports the Organising Committees of the Games of the XXXI Olympiad in Rio de Janeiro, in 2016, the XXIII Olympic Winter Games (2018) in PyeongChang and the Games of the XXXII Olympiad (2020) in Tokyo, as well as the Organisers of each Youth Olympic Games through to 2020. Samsung will also continue to support the IOC and every National Olympic Committee.

Samsung’s first Olympic Games as a Worldwide TOP Partner was the Nagano 1998 Olympic Winter Games; and Samsung is the 11th company to commit to the Worldwide TOP Programme through 2020.

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For more information, please contact the IOC Media Relations Team:
Tel: +41 21 621 6000 e-mail: pressoffice@olympic.org, or visit our web site at www.olympic.org.
Videos
Live coverage on YouTube and www.olympic.tv
Click here for broadcast quality footage of the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games
Photos
For an extensive selection of photos available shortly after each event, please follow us on: Flickr and Nanjing 2014 photo gallery.
To request archive photos and footage, please contact our Images team at: images@olympic.org.
Social media For up-to-the-minute information on the IOC and regular updates, please follow us on:
Twitter: IOC Media, Youth Olympic Games, Olympic Games
Facebook: Youth Olympic Games, Olympic Games
Instagram: Youth Olympic Games, Olympic Games 

KALYAN KUMAR MAHATA The true appellation of Apu. A Creative Commons license.

Worldwide TOP Partner Dow Helping to Deliver a Sustainable Nanjing 2014

©Chang Qi/Xue Xiaohong

14/08/2014

They may not always be obvious, or even visible, to participants and spectators at the Youth Olympic Games, but the materials and solutions used in some of the Nanjing 2014 venues are at the cutting-edge of sustainable solutions.

Hosting the 2014 Youth Olympic Games has presented Nanjing with an opportunity to set a new benchmark in infrastructure construction, in order to provide great venues during the Games and leave a long-lasting legacy after the Games.
 Behind the scenes, Worldwide TOP Partner Dow, one of the world’s leading chemistry companies, has been working with the Organisers of the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games and the local government to help them achieve their sustainability goals.
 Both the Nanjing Youth Olympic Centre and the Nanjing Youth Olympic Village are using Dow’s environmentally-friendly materials – (for more details: http://building.dow.com/ap/en/news/20120912.htm)
 Dow has supported the Olympic Games for more than 30 years, and first provided insulation for the ice skating rinks and bobsled runs at the Lake Placid 1980 Olympic Winter Games. To see some of the other solutions Dow have provided over the last 30 years to the Olympic Games visit: http://olympicpartnership.dow.com/en/olympic-partnership/timeline

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Football legend visits Zambia’s Olympic Youth Development Centre

©OYDC

15/08/2014

With the 2014 Nanjing Summer Youth Olympic Games a day away, it’s a good opportunity to highlight another International Olympic Committee (IOC) initiative in youth development and community sport.  

The Olympic Youth Development Centre (OYDC) in Lusaka, Zambia, was recently visited by retired international British football player John Barnes prior to the opening of a second Centre in Haiti last month.
Accompanied by the President of Zambia’s Football Association, Kalusha Bwalya, the sportsman was at the OYDC to conduct coaching clinics and meet those who are benefitting from this state-of-the-art complex, including the national under-17 football team.
Providing athletes, young people and local African communities with opportunities to practise sport and learn about the Olympics values, this multi-sport complex is home to over 16 different sports disciplines.
“I am impressed with what you are doing,” Barnes told a crowd gathered at the centre. “This centre is one that is really addressing the needs of any child out there.”
Speaking to players and coaches, the British footballer urged them to have passion and dedication for their sport, as well as work on being strong mentally and physically to be best prepared for their role as national athletes and rising stars.
For the Director of the OYDC, Clement Chileshe, such high-profile visits are a unique opportunity to motivate the hundreds of local children who visit the centre every day.
In addition, the OYDC has proudly trained a young national hockey team, who will represent Zambia at the Youth Olympic Games taking place in Nanjing, China, from 16 to 28 August. A first for the country and for the OYDC, Chileshe sees this as an invaluable occasion to raise the profile of the multi-sport complex and provide a further incentive for investing in youth development programmes.
Hope and development through sport
The OYDC in Zambia has grown considerably since it first opened its doors in 2010. Welcoming on average 10,000 youngsters on a regular basis, the centre was launched four years ago by the IOC with the support of the Olympic Movement. It now has an Olympic-sized swimming pool and a health centre. In all, the facility offers training opportunities for 16 different sports, with an emphasis on basketball, boxing, judo, hockey, track & field, table tennis and swimming. It is also the training ground for a number of high-performance athletes who hope to qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
In the four years of operations, more than 100 young athletes who had not practised sport before have since been integrated into national teams. The multi-sport centre also offers a wide range of educational programmes, health services and community activities aimed at improving the quality of life in a country ravaged by HIV/AIDS, poverty, crime and unemployment.
Building on success
Under the auspices of the IOC, and following the success of the Zambian Centre, a second multi-sport complex was opened in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, by the IOC President and the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Serving the local community and elite athletes, it will include sporting venues as well as healthcare and educational programmes and administrative facilities.
Learn more about the IOC’s development through sport initiatives

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Diary of a Young Ambassador from Serbia

©IOC

15/08/2014

In the final weeks before the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games, Aleksandra Kebić, the IOC’s Young Ambassador for Serbia travelled with the team for some last minute preparation, here’s her account of what impressed.

A few weeks ago, Team Serbia for the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing 2014 went on their joint preparation for the upcoming competition.  I went with them, as a Young Ambassador with the idea to introduce them to CEP and try some of the activities from the programme.
Then it was off to Bled in Slovenia, where the Team hosted  these joint preparations, I had many doubts about the realization of the whole idea, but when I finally met all of them, including their sparring partners, I realized that there is no reason to fear –I had a really proactive team, willing to compete, learn and share.
Those ten days passed so fast that I even hadn’t noticed there were only a couple of days left before our departure for China.
©Aleksandra Kebić
On the Bled lake I was delivering a session about the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing 2014, with the goal to inspire and empower my team of athletes. But, some time later, I realized that actually it was mutually inspiring, because they showed their motivation and I felt that thrilling atmosphere among all of us.
We also tried some other activities together – dancing one of our hardest national dances (and that was so funny!), writing our names in Chinese, making a collage with all the associations with our beautiful country... It was quite amazing how 50 young people are eager to put so much effort into different activities every day for ten days, including tough training and exercises.  And only 24 of them were on the list for Nanjing. Anyway, the team counted 50 for me, because they were acting as one – 50 people for 24 seats in a plane for Nanjing.
That team won even before the YOG. That team knew how to share the Games and they shared all their dreams about the amazing future they are preparing for.
With less than a week to go until the Games, the YAs, aged between 18-25-years-old, are busy spreading the YOG spirit all over the world by hosting camps and workshops with young athletes in their communities and working closely with their NOCs and National Federations.
Click here to see the full list of the Young Ambassadors

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Joint Communique from the International Olympic Committee and the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games Organizing Committee

15/08/2014

Our thoughts are firstly with those who have been touched by the outbreak of Ebola in West Africa and the suffering of those affected and their families.

With regard to ensuring the safety of all those participating in the Youth Olympic Games and the people of the city of Nanjing we have been working closely with the Chinese health authorities and under the guidance of the World Health Organization (WHO).  We have been reassured by the health authorities that there have been no suspected cases and that the risk of infection is extremely unlikely.

Together we have developed a policy which balances the health needs of all, with respect for the rights of the young athletes from the region:

• The organizing committee has made it clear that all delegations are welcome to the Games and each country is free to take their own decision on attendance.
  
• Those from the region will be subject to regular temperature and physical assessment throughout the period.
  
• Based on health authority guidelines it has been decided that athletes from affected areas will not compete in combat sports. (2 athletes)
  
• Additionally, based on the inability to completely exclude the risk of potential infection it was also decided that no athletes from the region would compete in the pool.(1 athlete)
  
• In accordance with WHO guidelines the Chinese authorities are fully prepared should any outbreak occur.  

We regret that due to this issue some young athletes may have suffered twice, both from the anguish caused by the outbreak in their home countries and by not being able to compete in the Youth Olympic Games.

The IOC and Organizing Committee will therefore offer to each of the National Olympic Committees affected, if they wish, that their national flag will be brought into the stadium at the opening ceremony and will be hoisted at the venues.

The athletes who have not been able to participate will also receive in the near future an invitation from the IOC and the organizing committee to come to Nanjing to take part in a sporting competition and to experience the welcoming atmosphere and spirit of the city and Jiangsu province.

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IOC statement on the election of POCOG President Yang-ho Cho

KALYAN KUMAR MAHATA The true appellation of Apu. A Creative Commons license.

31/07/2014

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is pleased that Yang-ho Cho has been formally elected as the President of the PyeongChang 2018 Organising Committee (POCOG). We also welcome his plans to dedicate himself to the success of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games. President Cho has a long-standing relationship with the Olympic Movement, and his experience of leading the PyeongChang 2018 Bid Committee will allow him to quickly get started in his new role.

The IOC is looking forward to working again with President Cho, with the first face-to-face meeting already scheduled to take place during the upcoming Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games. President Cho and a POCOG delegation are expected to meet with IOC President Thomas Bach, IOC Coordination Commission Chair Gunilla Lindberg, and the IOC’s Olympic Games Deputy Executive Director Christophe Dubi during the course of the 13-day event.

IOC President Thomas Bach commented: “The election of Yang-ho Cho as President of the PyeongChang 2018 Organising Committee underlines the importance that the Republic of Korea and the Korean sports movement places upon the success of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games. We are pleased that President Cho has been elected so quickly and that he will dedicate himself to this important national project. I welcome him back to the PyeongChang team. I am sure that he will deliver great Olympic Winter Games for the athletes in 2018.”

IOC Coordination Commission Chair Gunilla Lindberg said: “I am pleased to welcome Yang-ho Cho as President of the PyeongChang 2018 Organising Committee. We already have a very good relationship from President Cho’s work with the PyeongChang 2018 Bid Committee. I look forward to reinforcing our already strong links over the coming three-and-a-half years, as we work to deliver great Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang in 2018.”

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The International Olympic Committee is a not-for-profit independent international organisation made up of volunteers, which is committed to building a better world through sport. It redistributes more than 90 per cent of its income to the wider sporting movement, helping athletes and sports organisations at all levels around the world.

###

For more information, please contact the IOC Media Relations Team:
Tel: +41 21 621 6000 e-mail: pressoffice@olympic.org, or visit our web site at www.olympic.org.

VideosYouTube: www.youtube.com/iocmedia

PhotosFor an extensive selection of photos available shortly after each event, please follow us on Flickr.
To request archive photos and footage, please contact our Images team at: images@olympic.org.

Social mediaFor up-to-the-minute information on the IOC and regular updates, please follow us on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

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