Rogge says Youth Olympics ready to go

SINGAPORE — Comparing himself with an expectant father, IOC president Jacques Rogge said he was eager to see the Youth Olympics finally come to life Saturday and is optimistic the event will be a success. Hours before the opening ceremony, Rogge said he was "thrilled" with the way Singapore has organized the games in just 2 1/2 years. He said all preparations were complete for the games, although he admitted mistakes will probably be made over the next 12 days that can provide lessons for the future. "I feel like a father waiting in delivery room for birth to happen," Rogge told reporters. "I'm optimistic, but I still want to see the baby being born." The Youth Olympics, which finish Aug. 26, features nearly 3,600 competitors aged 14 to 18 from 204 countries competing in 26 sports. Alongside the sporting events, there will lectures for the young athletes on everything from drug testing to living a healthy lifestyle. Despite the widespread publicity and optimistic tone from Singapore, the Youth Olympics have struggled to win over fans. Ticket sales for the Youth Games have been sluggish despite an $8.9 million government publicity campaign featuring large billboards around the city that encouraged neighborhoods to celebrate the games. In an online poll last month on Channel NewsAsia's website aimed at getting a gauge of public interest, 88 percent of 6,400 respondents voted, 'I'm not interested at all,' in the games. There have even been reports that children were forced to attend events ahead of the games, something the organizers have denied. "There will be stories flying around. But just look at the faces of the children that are there, the sparkle in their eyes and the smile on their faces," said Ng Ser Miang, chairman of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organizing Committee and IOC Vice President. "Those are not things you can force. I don't think anyone will be forced to come to watch the torch relay or the Games. So I don't think there is any coercion." Ng also dismissed concerns about cost overruns which have dogged Singapore's preparations. The IOC initially projected in 2007 the Youth Games would cost $30 million to stage. By the time Singapore won its bid in 2008, the budget was up to $76 million. The government said in July it expects a final bill of $287 million. "It's a first Youth Games. The scale and complexity developed as we started to prepare for it," Ng said. "So many things had to be on the fast track. We have a certain standard of doing things here, and there was an effort to promote Singapore as well." Rogge also defended the games against complaints the event was little more than a summer camp that was an unnecessary distraction from existing competitions. He said the Youth Olympics would become an integral part of the Olympic movement, inspire young people to join sports and provide athletes with something more than competition — including the chance to be mentored by seasoned athletes like Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva and learn about everything from adjusting to life after sports to the perils of doping. "The fundamental principle of the Youth Olympic Games is that there was need to provide education to young people at age where they are receptive," Rogge said. "This is a part of the youth population receptive to new concepts. We want to give them skills for later in life." – AP