The Working Group is due to meet over three days from August 31 to September 2 in the British capital, where the focus will be on developing more opportunities and keeping young people at the heart of sport worldwide.

Coe was chairman of London 2012 and last year was appointed chairman of the sports development charity International Inspiration, which aims to deliver on the Olympics and Paralympic promise to reach out to young people all around the world and connect them to the power of the Games.

International Inspiration was formed when International Development through Sport and the II Foundation - set-up to deliver the London 2012 international sport and social legacy programme and was originally called International Inspiration - merged in January 2013.

So far, International Inspiration claims to have enriched the lives of more than 12 million children and young people in 20 countries since its inception, reaching this target prior to the start of the London Games.

"There are very few things more important in sport than youth participation and youth engagement, and so it is a real honour to be chairing the ANOC Youth Working Group," said Coe, the double Olympic 1500 metres gold medallist.

"I am very grateful to ANOC President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah for this prestigious appointment and I will look to use all my experience from London 2012, International Inspiration and other projects.

"I have no doubt that working together we will find innovative ways for ANOC to empower its NOCs (National Olympic Committees) to help young people play and stay in sport."

The ANOC Youth Working Group aims to keep young people at the heart of sport throughout the world ©Getty Images



Through the National Olympic Committee network and countries which participated in International Inspiration, young representatives from Azerbaijan, Brazil, Great Britain, Jordan, Palau and South Africa have been selected to join Coe on the ANOC Youth Working Group.

The body is one of nine Commissions and Working Groups ratified at the ANOC Executive Council meeting in December 2013.

"With a membership of 204 NOCs, ANOC has huge potential to reach millions of young people from all corners of the globe," said Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah.

"It is the job of the ANOC Youth Working Group to help us discover the means to harness this immense potential.

"Recent Olympic and Paralympic Games have demonstrated sport's power to inspire young people and ANOC, through its NOCs, can help ensure that this momentum is maintained 365 days a year."

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