OLYMPICS/ IOC
Moscow bids to host 2010 Youth Olympics
(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-08-21 11:03
MOSCOW, Aug 20 - Russia's Olympic Committee (ROC) voted unanimously on Monday to submit a bid for Moscow to host the first Youth Summer Olympics in 2010.
"Russia is a great sporting nation and Moscow is the undisputed leader of the Russian sports movement," Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov told a news conference at ROC's headquarters under a huge banner proclaiming "Future starts here."
"We have almost everything ready to stage the Youth Games."
Moscow, which hosted the 1980 Summer Olympics, also staged the first World Youth Games in 1998. They were held under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) but did not carry the Olympic title.
The IOC approved a plan in Guatemala last month to stage summer and winter Youth Olympics, for athletes aged 14-18, to try to revive the dwindling interest of teenagers in the movement.
In Guatemala, the IOC also awarded the 2014 Winter Olympics to Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi.
The IOC plans to name the Youth Olympics host city in February.
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