Copenhagen's Mayor for Culture, Leisure and Sport has expressed interest in bidding for a future Youth Olympic Games ©Getty Images

Copenhagen, which will host the Tour de France Grand Départ next year, is eyeing the possibility of bidding for a future Youth Olympics.

Speaking at last week’s Smart Cities & Sport Summit in the Danish capital, Mia Nyegaard, who will become Copenhagen's Mayor for Culture, Leisure and Sport in January, suggested that the city needed to "push and aspire" - and mentioned the idea of seeking to host the Youth Olympic Games.

At that point Nyegaard was sitting alongside the International Olympic Committee President, Thomas Bach, who had spoken at the opening of the summit.

Lars Lundov, Sport Event Denmark chief executive, told insidethegames: "She said something very interesting!

"Could Copenhagen host this event?

"It is a good question.

"I still think the Youth Olympics is a great event, but perhaps a very expensive one compared with the outcome.

"But if the Mayor of Copenhagen would like to have some research about it then of course we will take participate in that and try to do the work and do some calculations.

"So it’s not a 'No' - but of course it’s not my decision.

Mia Nyegaard, who will become Copenhagen's Mayor for Culture, Leisure and Sport in January, used the Smart Cities & Sport Summit attended by IOC President Thomas Bach to float the idea of the Danish capital hosting a Youth Olympics ©ITG
Mia Nyegaard, who will become Copenhagen's Mayor for Culture, Leisure and Sport in January, used the Smart Cities & Sport Summit attended by IOC President Thomas Bach to float the idea of the Danish capital hosting a Youth Olympics ©ITG

Lundov clarified: "The decision will be between the National Olympic Committee of Denmark and the Government.

"But it was an arresting final note in her speech! 

"I’m very happy for that.

"As she is a new person in this new Mayor position it is very good that she says now 'I love the big events and I think Copenhagen should go for a very big one.'

"Whether it should be Olympics or Youth Olympics or something else - we will see."

Dakar is due to stage the next Summer Youth Olympic Games in 2026, after the event in Senegal's capital was delayed by four years because of the coronavirus crisis.

Gangwon in South Korea is hosting the Winter Youth Olympics in 2024.

Football is one domain where Denmark has identified the next event it wants to stage.

"We are very much interested in the Women’s European Championship in 2025," Lundov told insidethegames.

"We will bid.

"The process is not open yet but we will make a bid together with our friends in the Nordic region.

"You have it in England next year.

"It’s the next big one on our game board."

For the full interview, go to this week's Big Read.