Innsbruck and Kuopio finalists for election to host the first Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2012

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today revealed the names of the finalist Candidate Cities from which the host city for the 1st Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2012 will be elected. Innsbruck and Kuopio were selected by the IOC Executive Board last week, and will now be submitted to a postal vote by the IOC members. The host city will be announced by IOC President Jacques Rogge in a live web cast on www.olympic.org, provisionally scheduled for 12 December 2008.

The EB’s decision on the two finalists was based on an IOC Evaluation Commission report, which is now available on www.olympic.org. Chaired by Pernilla Wiberg, the Commission assessed the projects of the four shortlisted Candidate Cities - Harbin (China), Innsbruck (Austria), Kuopio (Finland) and Lillehammer (Norway). The report focused on the risks associated with the organisation of the Games within the timeframe of only three years to plan and prepare to host the first edition of this new event.

The vote will take place over the coming weeks, with all IOC members, except those from Innsbruck and Kuopio, entitled to vote. An independent and certified notary based in Lausanne, Switzerland, will oversee the process to guarantee confidentiality. The city with the highest number of votes will be elected as the host city of the 1st Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2012, marking the conclusion of a candidature process that started in March 2008. In the event of a tie, the IOC President will consult the EB members entitled to vote and will make the final decision based on this consultation.

About the Youth Olympic Games
The Youth Olympic Games aim to bring together talented athletes – age group 14 to 18 - from around the world to participate in high-level competitions but also to run, alongside the sports element of the event, educational programmes on the Olympic values, the benefits of sport for a healthy lifestyle, the social values sport can deliver and the dangers of doping and of training to excess and/or of inactivity.

The first Winter Youth Olympic Games will bring together approximately 1,000 athletes and 500 team officials. The sports programme will encompass all sports on the programme of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, with a limited number of disciplines and events.