(ATR) The IOC chose Lausanne, Switzerland to host the 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games over opponent Brasov, Romania during the 128th IOC session in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The Olympic capital overwhelmed Brasov, winning 71 votes to 10.
Lausanne will be the third city to host the Winter YOG following in the footsteps of Innsbruck in 2012 and Lillehammer in 2016.
Lausanne has been the home of the IOC for 100 years and organizers will aim to capitalize on the city’s Olympic history. Switzerland is also a country known for its snow-covered mountains that provide a great setting for the skiing and snowboarding events during the games.
"Together, people of Lausanne and of Switzerland have snow in our blood - in our DNA. We have built and trained a large number of exceptional winter sport athletes on our mountains and in our ice rinks, but more often than not, these athletes have to travel to earn their medals abroad, outside Switzerland," bid president Patrick Baumann said prior to the election.
Young athletes from Switzerland will now have the chance to earn medals on the slopes they grew up on.
Lausanne was selected in part due to its heavy reliance on existing venues to host the games. One of the most important tenants of the Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms put in place by the IOC this year is a newfound focus on sustainability. The Lausanne bid was able to appeal to this tenet by creating only one temporary venue and renovating another.
The only new construction needed for the bid is the athlete village. The design was chosen in a contest held by organizers and the winning design evokes themes of the Olympic Movement. The entirety of the village is a large ring and pays homage to the Olympics.
However, the IOC did address concerns over construction dates for the athlete village in their last evaluation commission report, along with renovations on the ice hockey, figure skating and short track venue. Both the athlete village and renovations are set to finish by the end of 2019, a few months before the games begin.
Lastly, the IOC notes the vast cultural and developmental improvements that could be brought about by the games being in Lausanne. The bid outlines a diverse Learn & Share program providing educational opportunities to inspire athletes and local youth.
Written by Kevin Nutley
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