IOC announces Youth Olympic Games 2022 Evaluation Commission

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today announced the composition of the IOC Evaluation Commission for the 4th Summer Youth Olympic Games (YOG), which will be held in Africa in 2022.

IOC President Thomas Bach has appointed as Chair Prof. Ugur Erdener, the IOC Vice-President from Turkey. Prof. Erdener will lead an experienced team of Evaluation Commission members responsible for assisting and guiding the selection process to elect the African host for 2022.

President of World Archery and the Turkish NOC, Prof. Erdener has a wealth of experience in the Youth Olympic Games. In 2016, he led the Working Group, instigated by Olympic Agenda 2020, which undertook a review of the YOG positioning to ensure that the event is constantly evolving and adapting to maximise the impact on young elite athletes. He is currently chairing the Steering Committee on Shaping the Future of the Youth Olympic Games, responsible for implementing the 14 working group recommendations approved at the IOC Session in Rio. The IOC Evaluation Commission can also rely on his experience as a former member of the Evaluation Commission for the Olympic Games 2024.

The IOC Evaluation Commission composition reflects the diversity of the Olympic Movement, and includes members from all continents, representing athletes, National Olympic Committees and International Federations. The IOC Evaluation Commission will act as a link between the interested parties, the IOC and Olympic Movement stakeholders, thereby ensuring that the best partner to co-construct the Youth Olympic Games in 2022 is found.

Commenting on the announcement, President Bach said: “It’s time for Africa. Africa is the home of so very many successful Olympic athletes. It is also the continent of youth. This is why we want to take the Youth Olympic Games 2022 to Africa. This is why the IOC will proactively approach a number of African NOCs to evaluate the feasibility of bringing the YOG to Africa.”

Commenting on his appointment, Prof. Erdener said: “In choosing to target Africa, we are following the new principles adopted by the IOC Session to replace the competitive stage seen in previous Youth Olympic Games host city selections. It will make the process more streamlined, simpler and shorter. Africa has so much to offer the world and we are convinced that an African nation can now take the opportunity of the Youth Olympic Games to showcase this to the rest of the world.”

The full composition of the Evaluation Commission is as follows:

Chair of the Commission and International Federations representative

Ugur Erdener (TUR)

Members

Beatrice Allen (GAM)

Kirsty Coventry (ZIM)

Neven Ilic (CHI)

Gunilla Lindberg (SWE)

Li Lingwei (CHN)

Lydia Nsekera (BDI)

Auvita Rapilla (PNG)

2022">The Host Selection Process for the Youth Olympic Games 2022 in Africa was announced last month. Following the feasibility studies, visits, in-depth discussions and research/analysis that will be undertaken by IOC administration members and experts with a number of African NOCs, the IOC Evaluation Commission 2022 will submit its report in September 2018, and the host for the YOG 2022 will be elected at the IOC Session in October 2018 in Buenos Aires.
Story by Cecil Stanley Nii Teiko Tagoe