By Tom Degun at the Lenexpo Exhibition Complex in St Petersburg

Hugh-Robertson 2May 29 - Britain's Minister for Sport Hugh Robertson has claimed that Glasgow can help fully establish the Youth Olympic Games as a concept if the Scottish city is awarded the 2018 Summer edition of the event.


Glasgow are currently bidding against Buenos Aires in Argentina and Medellín in Colombia for the right to stage 2018 Youth Olympics with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) set to vote to decide the host city at their Extraordinary Session in Lausanne on July 4.

All three cities are currently here at SportAccord International Convention looking to promote their bid to host the third edition of the Summer Youth Olympics following the inaugural Games in Singapore in 2010 and the second edition of the event in Nanjing, which will be held next year.

The Youth Olympics, which is widely considered the brainchild of current IOC President Jacques Rogge, is still in its formation process but Robertson's message to the Olympic Movement is that Glasgow will help give the event a real identity.

"From an IOC perspective, the Youth Olympics is a budding flower and I really believe it could benefit from all the expertise we have," Robertson said.

"The Youth Olympic Games is still finding its way in the international calendar.

"Events like that need the expertise and stature that I believe Britain can bring to it, in terms of access to broadcasters, media and the sponsorship market, and the sheer expertise in running a competition.

"My message would be, you give us that event and we can transform it."

Glasgow 2018 presentationGlasgow are bidding against Buenos Aires and Medellín for the right to stage 2018 Youth Olympic Games

But despite suggesting that Glasgow could the best technical Games of the three bidders, Robertson admits his concern is that so many elections in the Olympic Movement could lead to vote trading - which might favour the South American cities.

As well as the decision about who will host the 2018 Youth Olympics; this year will see the election of a host city for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, the election of a sport to the 2020 Olympic programme and the election of a new IOC President.

The four elections mean the inevitable trading of votes between the IOC members.

"We will absolutely give it everything to secure the Youth Olympics," Robertson said.

"If I have one worry, it is that this is just one of a number of decisions to be taken this year by the IOC and we know there are quite a few trade-offs to be had."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
May 2013: Glasgow youngsters pushing for 2018 Summer Youth Olympics
May 2013: Burns backs Glasgow 2018 Youth Olympic bid before world title defence
April 2013: Glasgow 2018 unveils global "Sport Spaces" plans to boost Olympic sport participation
April 2013: "Inspirational" Hoy to drive on Glasgow 2018 Youth Olympic bid
April 2013: 2018 Youth Olympic Games bid cities present to IOC Evaluation Commission