Glasgow Youth Olympics bid: Year of sport hope

There will be a year promoting youth culture and sport if Glasgow’s bid to host the 2018 Youth Olympics is successful, the Scottish Government has said.

Shona Robison will travel with the Glasgow delegation to Switzerland. Picture: Ian Georgeson

The host city for the Games will be announced on Thursday, with Glasgow on a shortlist along with Buenos Aires in Argentina and Medellin in Colombia.

If the Scottish city is chosen, the event will be at the centre of a year-long series of events to promote Scotland’s young people across the world.

The Government has designated similar themed years such as the Year of Creative Scotland and the current Year of Natural Scotland.

Sport minister Shona Robison will travel with the Glasgow delegation to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Lausanne, Switzerland, to find out if Glasgow has won the bid.

Inspiration

Ms Robison said: “Working with and learning from the IOC’s expertise and experience is a hugely exciting prospect for both Glasgow and Scotland, and combined with our own experience we are confident we can host a fantastic Youth Olympic Games.

“The Games will not only provide young athletes with the opportunity to compete at the top of their field, it will act as an inspiration for those young people across the country to get active and develop their interest in sport.

“We want to see young people become champions of their own lives, with a vision for all young people to have the chance to succeed and flourish.

“That’s why we have decided, with a successful bid to host the Games, it is only right that we designate 2018 the Year of Young People in Scotland.

“We want to make sure that our young people get the most of educational and cultural opportunities on offer.

“I am confident that the programme that will emerge will be one that is energetic and exciting - just like Scotland’s young people.”