France, Oct. 30 -- The YOG are a recent creation in the history of the Olympic movement, which began in 1896.

In 2007, Jacques Rogge, then president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), proposed launching a competition for athletes aged 14 to 18.

The former sailor was concerned about childhood obesity, declining participation in sport and the difficulty young people faced in finding solid role models in a world saturated with images and performances.

The Summer Youth Olympic Games were launched with two objectives: to create a global sporting event, with competitions and medals and also an educational environment in which young people could discuss and exchange ideas on health, nutrition, ethics and Olympic values. Cultural an...