Hundreds of Young People Back Glasgow 2018 YOG Bid in New Campaign

Hundreds of youngsters have backed the Glasgow 2018 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) with just one week to go until the International Olympic Committee (IOC) passes the crucial vote.

Based on the ancient Scottish tradition of tying wishes to a tree, the ‘I Wish… For Glasgow 2018’ campaign has seen young people in the city make their wish of seeing the YOG in Scotland.

Schoolchildren, Olympic gold medallist cyclist Ed Clancy, TV personality and keen marathon runner Jenni Falconer and the Bid’s Young Champions all launched the campaign in the centre of Glasgow.

School children took over the city’s George Square to celebrate a morning of sport and culture, taking part in a variety of sporting activities including hockey, basketball, cycling and athletics as well as dance performances.

One of Glasgow 2018’s Young Champions, Mahad Ahmed, an athlete from the Glasgow School of Sport, said: “It is hard to believe that we are just one week away from the decision on who will host the 2018 Youth Olympic Games.

“I love Glasgow and I really wish that we get the chance to welcome the world’s best young athletes, their friends and their families to the city in 2018.

“It would be fantastic to share with them all that is great in our fantastic sporting and cultural city.”

Sebastian Coe, Chairman of the British Olympic Association, added: “Glasgow 2018 fully supports the original vision underpinning the Youth Olympic Games and we are committed to playing our part in enabling young people from around the world to be inspired by the Olympic ideals and to experience the life changing benefits of participation in sport.

“Glasgow has already engaged with 1.5 million young people and our wish is to build on that.”

The 2018 Bid Team also launched a virtual Wish Tree in which young people and communities from all over the UK will post their wishes in support of the campaign in the run up to next week’s decision by the IOC.