IOC Publishes YOG 2020 Evaluation Commission Report

(ATR) Brasov and Lausanne propose two very different bid concepts for the 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG).

The IOC released its final evaluation commission report for the 2020 YOG on June 30, with the IOC evaluating each city based on Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms.

Contained in the report are details covering the venues that will be used, the Youth Olympic Village, overall budgets and revenues as well as travel times between village and venue locations.

One of the greatest differences between the bids lies within the proposed budget by each city. The Romanian city reports a proposed budget of $17.6 million, primarily due to its reliance on four hotels to serve as the Youth Olympic Village for the games. The budget for Lausanne is listed at $42.2 million, over double that of Brasov's.

Not included in the budget is the village for the athletes, a project that will be built even if Lausanne is not awarded the games. The budget for the project is approximately $180 million and is primarily for the two surrounding universities, funded by the State of Vaud. The village was chosen from a design contest and pays homage to the Olympic Movement.

Although construction is needed for the Lausanne athlete village, the city’s bid benefits from using a majority of existing venues for the competition. The Brasov bid plans to build two new venues for curling and halfpipe while assembling two more temporary venues for ice hockey training and speed skating.

The necessary venue construction from Brasov comes from the city adding three sports to the program since submitting its original candidature file to the IOC. By adding curling, speed skating and halfpipe to the event program, the budget for Brasov has increased by 40 percent, a point of emphasized concern for the IOC.

The Lausanne bid faces scrutiny from the IOC as well, with the committee citing concern over projected construction completion dates of the Youth Olympic Village and renovations at Espace Malley, the proposed venue for ice hockey, figure skating and short track.

The village is set to be completed by October 2019, while Espace Malley renovations will reportedly conclude by June 2019. Any delays in either of these construction projects could pose trouble for the delivery of the games.

Brasov will look to capitalize on a successful hosting of the 2013 winter edition of the European Olympic Youth Festival as well as the popularity of winter sports among young people in Romania.

Lausanne will emphasize its Olympic heritage as the home of the IOC headquarters and Olympic Museum for the past 100 years. The city will utilize its vast Olympic resources to create a laboratory of new ideas for the Olympic Movement.

The IOC will select between the two cities at the 128th IOC session in Kuala Lumpur on July 31.

Written by Kevin Nutley

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