Youth Olympics IOC President Bach "Thanks and Congratulations to Gangwon"

At the closing conference, “A successful competition…Using Pyeongchang’s heritage to present a special solidarity.”

International Olympic Committee (IOC) Chairman Thomas Bach, who has built a friendly image by making finger hearts and taking informal selfies every time he comes to Korea, evaluated the 2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympic Games (hereinafter referred to as Gangwon 2024) as a successful event and thanked Gangwon Province and the Games Organizing Committee.

He left a congratulatory message. 카지노사이트

Chairman Bach held a closing press conference with reporters at the Main Media Center (MMC) set up at the Gangneung Green City Experience Center ahead of the Gangwon 2024 Closing Ceremony, and said, “This is a competition that makes good use of the legacy of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics,” and “6 years ago, “I was very moved by the youth athletes playing in the facility where the Olympics were held,” he said.

In particular, in the bobsled monobob (single-man), Tunisian and Thai athletes, who grew into Winter Olympic athletes through the Dream Program, Pyeongchang's 'soft legacy', won men's and women's silver medals, respectively, and Chairman Bach said, "The Pyeongchang Olympics opened a 'new horizon.'

“Thanks to this, 14 people who went through the Dream Program participated in Gangwon 2024, providing special solidarity to the whole world,” he said.

The Dream Program began in 2004 as a pledge to host the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, hosted by the 2018 Pyeongchang Memorial Foundation and sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province.

Many of the athletes who participated in the project, which was designed to provide experience and training programs such as skiing and skating to youth in developing countries who have difficulty accessing winter sports and to promote cultural exchange and global friendship through sports, grew up to be gifted winter sports in each country.

Chairman Bach also introduced, “In order to make this event a success, the IOC also provided $37 million (about 49.3 billion won).”

According to the IOC's explanation, the IOC spent $10 million on airfare and lodging for athletes from 78 countries participating in this event, and provided $3.7 million in cash to the Gangwon 2024 Organizing Committee.

The IOC announced that $25 million was invested from the IOC budget and $12 million was from the Olympic Solidarity Fund.

In addition, Chairman Bach said, "As of the 28th of last month, 30% of Koreans watched Gangwon 2024 on TV and 75% were aware of Gangwon 2024."

He added, "Millions of people in the United States also watched the Olympics on NBC and watched Gangwon 2024 on social platforms.

He commented, “They showed remarkable results, including mentioning 2024.”

Chairman Bach added that the number of times Gangwon 2024 is mentioned on social platforms such as social networking services (SNS) is 250 million, which is unprecedented for a youth Olympics.

Chairman Bach said he would actively utilize the broadcasting technology and new platform tested at Gangwon 2024 for the Paris Summer Olympics in July.

Lastly, Chairman Bach said, “The athletes and the Olympic family feel great satisfaction from Gangwon 2024.

If the participating athletes use this competition as a stepping stone to participate in the Adult Olympics, they will not be intimidated and will receive great help in preparing for the competition.” I expected it.

Chairman Bach announced that the venue for the next Winter Youth Olympics in 2028 will be decided and announced at the end of this year or early next year.

Accordingly, there is no separate order for handing over the Olympic flag to the next host country at the closing ceremony on the 1st.

Chairman Bach, who was very impressed by the volunteers' hospitality, presented the volunteers with a specially made IOC badge with the Olympic rings in the shape of a heart as he left MMC and took a picture with them.