What do Ubin and Newater have to do with the Youth Olympics?

They are all part of efforts to give young athletes the full Singapore experience
Leonard Lim, Straits Times 15 Apr 08;

ATHLETES coming here for the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in two years' time will take away with them not only memories from the sporting arenas, but also rich cultural and educational experiences.

Excursions to Pulau Ubin, the Pulau Semakau landfill and the Newater processing plant will be part of the athletes' experiences when the multi-sport event is held in Singapore in August 2010.

These cultural and educational programmes will be 'just as important' as the sporting aspect, said Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC) chief Ng Ser Miang yesterday.

Through these, the organisers hope to impart Olympic values such as friendship and respect to the 3,500 athletes; foster understanding and interaction; and showcase Singapore to the world.

The athletes - aged between 14 and 18 - will be at a very good age to combine sports and education, said former world pole vault champion Sergey Bubka yesterday.

He heads an 11-member delegation here for a five-day seminar at SYOGOC's Kay Siang Road headquarters.

The International Olympic Committee Coordination Commission chief added: 'Because this is also about the development of their future successful lives, we should help and guide them.'

Athletes will clock a compulsory eight to 12 hours of culture and education sessions built around their sports programme. Adventure trips to Outward Bound Singapore, nature walks on Pulau Ubin and Newater plant visits will be just some of the choices available to them.

Prominent world champions and Olympians will fly in to speak about the importance of a healthy lifestyle and social responsibility. Some sessions will be open to athletes' parents and sports officials.

'What's also key is putting Singapore's culture forward in a festive atmosphere and ensuring everyone goes home with something unique,' said the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) YOG head, Mr Essar Gabriel.

Thus, regular dance and other artistic items will be held during the YOG in the Games Village at the upcoming University Town in Clementi and at *scape, a youth community space at Somerset.

The IOC seminar, which began yesterday and ends on Friday, will cover such issues as the experiences of the IOC staff in organising the commercial and operational aspects of previous Olympic Games.

About 200 people from SYOGOC, national sports associations, ministries and the private sector are expected to attend.

Mr Ng said: 'These sessions are important as organising the Games will be a complex process.

'We may have done National Day Parades...and the World Bank meetings, but the YOG is much more than all this.'

He stressed that emphasis is on the sporting, environmental and social legacy of the YOG.

To that end, the IOC will maximise participation by guaranteeing at least four athlete places for each of the 205 member countries.

Also, no Olympic records will be registered, to keep the focus on participation.