Imagine the games in the heart of the Olympic Capital: Lausanne and the Canton of Vaud will host the Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2020
Kuala Lumpur, July 31st, 2015 – It’s done! After two years of campaigning which ended with a spectacular final presentation this morning in front of the IOC, today Lausanne won the right to organize the Olympic Games, exactly 100 years after the establishment of the IOC in the City. The result represents a “great opportunity for Swiss sport” according to Federal Counselor Ueli Maurer, who was present in Kuala Lumpur where the decision was made.
Click here to download free pictures of the final presentation and the opening of the enveloppe in Kuala Lumpur (copyright IOC).
It was close to 18h00 local time when Thomas Bach, President of the IOC, opened the envelope and delivered the words that an entire region was waiting to hear: “Lausanne 2020”. It is the happy conclusion of an intense and sustained body of work from the entire team behind an ambitious project for regional, national and international sport.
Daniel Brélaz, Mayor of Lausanne: “What a beautiful gift to celebrate the 100 years of Olympism in Lausanne! Lausanne, Olympic city, a sport city, a young city: it is a perfect mix, and I am extremely proud that the IOC recognized it. Now, let’s get to work!”
Lausanne won with 71 votes against 10 for its only competitor Brasov, Romania, who had presented its project a few minutes earlier.
Jörg Schild, President of Swiss Olympic, the National Olympic Committee: “I am very happy that the 2020 Youth Olympic Games can come to Lausanne. They will have to be Games for the youth of the entire country. They will have to be Games that help us to even better promote and support our next generation of athletes. To spread the Olympic Values is a great chance for us, and we need to seize this opportunity to enhance the credibility of sport.”
Patrick Baumann, President of the Candidature Committee and Swiss member of the IOC: “67 years after the Winter Games in St. Moritz, it is a great honor to have contributed in bringing the Games back to Switzerland. This project has enormous potential for a country that has snow sports in its DNA. I am convinced that this is the start of a great journey.”
Ueli Maurer, Federal Counselor who waspresent in Kuala Lumpur, declared: “It is an honor for me to represent this facet of Switzerland, that of sport, the youth and the Olympic Values. Games like these need to have an impact on our approach to developing sport in our country. This win constitutes a great opportunity for the next generations of Swiss athletes!”
Philippe Leuba, State Counselor and Head of the Department of Economy and Sport in the Canton of Vaud: “It is hugely satisfying and, from now on, an exciting challenge. As a former international football referee, I am all too aware that we can only know the result of the match at the final whistle! I have to admit that this win may be one of the greatest I have ever witnessed. The YOG constitute an extraordinary promise for sport in the Canton of Vaud, for Swiss sport and for our youth. Now it is our turn to seize this opportunity offered to us.”
Virginie Faivre, the triple FIS Freestyle World Champion (Half-Pipe) from Vaud was one of the strongest supporters of the candidature. Virginie has been working for the committee for the past two years. She was a fundamental part of the team that presented the candidature to the IOC this morning: “I am very happy. To finish this journey in this way, by winning the opportunity to realize what we dreamt about on paper for the past two years, it is incredible. Our file contains so many ideas and exciting projects that I am keen to start tomorrow! After the party!”
Stéphane Lambiel, double world champion in figure skating and silver medalist in Turin in 2006 has also been a central part of the team. He too was present at the final presentation this morning: “It was the Figure Skating World Championships in Lausanne in 1997 that I inspired me to focus on the objective of reaching the top of my discipline. To imagine that the Games will inspire the next generation from the same place in 2020, this touches me deeply. I am very happy right now.”
Denis Pittet, Secretary General of the committee of candidature: “It is an immense source of joy and great pride for all of us to see that the hard work we carried out was well received by the IOC and its members. Our message, which was to highlight our 100 years of shared history with the IOC and to transmit it to the youth of the world in an intelligent and friendly way with our partners from the heart of the Olympic Capital was understood. Now the most interesting part starts: to organize these Olympic Games!”
The Lausanne 2020 delegation in Kuala Lumpur, setting for the 128th Session of the IOC was composed of 25 people. This team will now immediately get to work, in tight collaboration with the IOC, to put in place the foundations for the event which is planned to be held between the 10th and the 19th of January, 2020 in Lausanne, in the surrounding Alps and in the North of the Canton of Vaud.
For more information, please contact:
Denis Pittet, Secretary General
Lausanne 2020 bid committee
Tel: +41 79 470 88 22