FIBA - Singapore is ready

DENVER (Youth Olympic Games) - FIBA President Elphinston and FIBA Secretary General and IOC member Patrick Baumann were impressed with the status of preparation for the 2010 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Singapore. The representatives of the Organising Committee (SYOCOG) led by CEO Kee Nguan Goh, Director Sports and Venues Patrick Lee and Director Culture Lee Pak Sing, gave an overview on the preparations for the basketball venue and the culture program as well as other operational areas.

FIBA will launch at the YOG its new FIBA 33 format. This new competition for national teams for male and female players younger than 18 years of age will be played with teams of three playing against each other on one half-court.

Besides the sports competitions programme, the YOG will feature an extensive Cultural and Educational Programme (CEP), which aims to introduce, in a fun and festive spirit, the young athletes to Olympism and the Olympic values, and to raise awareness on important issues such as the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, the fight against doping and their role as sports ambassadors in their communities.

Elphinston and Baumann also met with the Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore Sports Council Mr. Oon Jin Teik and Director Sport Business Ms. Liew Chian Ping to evaluate the possibilities to further promote the sport of basketball ahead of the YOG in Singapore. The FIBA 33 competition will be on the program of the 20009 Asian Youth Games (29th June to 7th July) as a test event for the YOG.

FIBA