Should Lausanne, Switzerland defeat Brasov, Romania in its bid to host the 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games – the bid committee proposes that some of the venues could be located in nearby France.
Gian Gilli, Head of Sport and Grassroots Development for the Lausanne 2020 bid committee explained “We want to organise a Youth Olympic Games which are sustainable and financially feasible in the long-term with regards to the sports infrastructure involved.”
“Less than one hour commute from Lausanne, the Tuffes stadium one of the leading centres for Nordic sport in Europe. It would be a shame not to use such a wonderful asset”.
Ski jumping, biathlon and Nordic combined could be held at the new stadium across an international border, a first for the Youth Olympic Games that were inaugurated in 2010 in Singapore. Bid planners credit the new International Olympic Committee (IOC) reforms, Agenda 2020, for the opportunity to share the experience with a neighbouring region.
In a media release, Lausanne 2020 claims the experience will be a “true laboratory” where the IOC can implement “one of the most talked about recommendations” of Agenda 2020, and an opportunity for Lausanne and the Canton of Vaud to be agents of change for the IOC.
Arnaud Pinguet, Director of Tuffes stadium said “We will make every effort, in collaboration with the Lausanne 2020 team and the IOC, to ensure that the Games here would act as a vehicle for the realization for the proposals contained in Agenda 2020.”
“We would be the first example of a country working closely with its neighbours to host certain events that make sense from a sporting point of view.
“We are delighted to be part of such an innovative new approach pioneered by the Olympic Movement and to be engaged in the exciting new discussion launched by the IOC.”
The next Winter Youth Olympic Games will be held in Lillehammer in 2016; the IOC will elect the 2020 host city at its session to be held in Kuala Lumpur on July 31.
