2012 Winter Youth Olympics
Encyclopedia
The 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games, officially known as the I Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG), will be an international multi-sport event for youths that will take place in Innsbruck
from 13 to 22 January 2012. They will become the inaugural Winter Youth Olympics
, a major sports and cultural festival celebrated in the tradition of the Olympic Games
. Approximately 1100 athletes from over 60 countries are expected to compete. The decision for Innsbruck to host the Games was announced on 2008 after mail voting by 105 International Olympic Committee
(IOC) members. Innsbruck will become the first city to host three Olympic events, having previously hosted the 1964 Winter Olympics
and the 1976 Winter Olympics
.
All four applicant cities were kept as candidate cities by the IOC in August 2008. Swedish skiier Pernilla Wiberg
was the Evaluation Chair for the Commission to score the applicant cities. In November 2008, two cities were cut from the list, leaving Innsbruck and Kuopio. On December 12, the final vote was revealed to be 84 votes to 15, with Innsbruck winning the hosting rights.
and Seefeld
, Olympiaworld Innsbruck and Seefeld Arena
. All venues are existing with the exception of the curling and biathlon venues, which will be temporary.
1,058 athletes from over 60 countries are expected to participate. A list of all the NOCs who have qualified at least one athlete appears below.
As of December 2011, 65 different nations have qualified athletes. The number of competitors qualified by each delegation is indicated in parentheses.
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
from 13 to 22 January 2012. They will become the inaugural Winter Youth Olympics
Youth Olympic Games
The Youth Olympic Games is an international multi-sport event first held in Singapore from August 14 to August 26, 2010. The games are held every four years in staggered summer and winter events consistent with the current Olympic Games format. The age limitation of the athletes is between 14 to 18...
, a major sports and cultural festival celebrated in the tradition of the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
. Approximately 1100 athletes from over 60 countries are expected to compete. The decision for Innsbruck to host the Games was announced on 2008 after mail voting by 105 International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
(IOC) members. Innsbruck will become the first city to host three Olympic events, having previously hosted the 1964 Winter Olympics
1964 Winter Olympics
The 1964 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Innsbruck, Austria, from January 29 to February 9, 1964...
and the 1976 Winter Olympics
1976 Winter Olympics
The 1976 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated February 4–15, 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria...
.
Bid process
The schedule was announced in January, 2008.- March 6, 2008 – National Olympic Committees (NOCs) were to inform the IOC of the names of their candidate cities.
- May 19, 2008 – Cities submit Candidature files.
- June 2008 – IOC announces shortlist of Candidate Cities.
- July 2008 – The Evaluation Commission submits its report to the IOC Executive Board.
- August 2008 – The IOC Executive Board will submit its recommendations to the IOC members for a postal vote.
- December 12, 2008 – The host city was announced.
All four applicant cities were kept as candidate cities by the IOC in August 2008. Swedish skiier Pernilla Wiberg
Pernilla Wiberg
Pernilla Wiberg is a Swedish former alpine ski racer, who competed on the World Cup circuit between 1990 and 2002. On club level, she represented Norrköpings SK.-Career:...
was the Evaluation Chair for the Commission to score the applicant cities. In November 2008, two cities were cut from the list, leaving Innsbruck and Kuopio. On December 12, the final vote was revealed to be 84 votes to 15, with Innsbruck winning the hosting rights.
| 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games bid results | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City | NOC Name | Postal votes | |||
| Innsbruck Innsbruck - Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus... |
84 | ||||
| Kuopio Kuopio Kuopio is a city and a municipality located in the region of Northern Savonia, Finland. A population of makes it the ninth biggest city in the country. The city has a total area of , of which is water and half forest... |
15 | ||||
Venues
All of the venues are located at venue clusters in two major zones in InnsbruckInnsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
and Seefeld
Seefeld, Tirol
Seefeld in Tirol is a municipality of the Innsbruck-Land District in the Austrian state of Tyrol, located about northwest of Innsbruck. With more than one million overnight stays each year, it is one of the most popular Tyrolean tourist destinations especially for skiing in winter, but also for...
, Olympiaworld Innsbruck and Seefeld Arena
Seefeld, Tirol
Seefeld in Tirol is a municipality of the Innsbruck-Land District in the Austrian state of Tyrol, located about northwest of Innsbruck. With more than one million overnight stays each year, it is one of the most popular Tyrolean tourist destinations especially for skiing in winter, but also for...
. All venues are existing with the exception of the curling and biathlon venues, which will be temporary.
- Bergisel Stadium - Opening Ceremony
- Olympic Sliding Centre Innsbruck - Bobsleigh, Skeleton, Luge
- Kühtai - Freestyle Skiing (Ski Cross), Snowboard (Slopestyle)
- Innsbruck Exhibition Centre - Curling
- Nordkette Innsbruck - Freestyle Skiing (Halfpipe), Snowboard (Halfpipe)
- PatscherkofelPatscherkofelPatscherkofel is a mountain and ski area in Tyrol in western Austria, 7 km south of Innsbruck. The peak rises to a summit elevation of 7639 feet above sea level...
- Alpine skiing - Olympiaworld Innsbruck - Ice Hockey, Short Track Speed Skating, Figure Skating
- EisschnellaufbahnEisschnellaufbahnThe Olympia Eisschnellaufbahn is a speed skating venue located in Innsbruck, Austria. The outdoor venue hosted the speed skating events both for the 1964 and the 1976 Winter Olympics....
- Speed skating - Seefeld ArenaSeefeld, TirolSeefeld in Tirol is a municipality of the Innsbruck-Land District in the Austrian state of Tyrol, located about northwest of Innsbruck. With more than one million overnight stays each year, it is one of the most popular Tyrolean tourist destinations especially for skiing in winter, but also for...
- Biathlon Course - Biathlon (temporary venue)
- Cross-Country World Cup Course - Cross Country Skiing
- Gschwandtkopf Cross Course - Ski/Snowboard Cross
- Olympic Ski Jump Normal Hill - Nordic Combined, Ski-Jumping
Participating nations
In accordance with IOC guidelines, only youths aged between 14 and 19 years will be able to participate in the 2012 Winter Youth Olympics. Unlike the Olympic Games, the youth athletes taking part in the YOG will be expected to stay in the host city throughout the Games to take part in an integrated sport and culture and education programme (CEP). The qualification criteria for participation in the Games differs by sport, and are determined by the NOCs and international sports federations.1,058 athletes from over 60 countries are expected to participate. A list of all the NOCs who have qualified at least one athlete appears below.
As of December 2011, 65 different nations have qualified athletes. The number of competitors qualified by each delegation is indicated in parentheses.