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Rio 2016 Chief ready to freshen up Games
Rio 2016 Olympics chief Carlos Nuzman said Wednesday he was a moderniser and was ready to embrace new sports at the first Games to be held in South America.
"I have a progressive stance," Nuzman told reporters in Singapore on the sidelines of the inaugural Youth Olympics.
"I am for attracting youngsters to the Olympic Games. And nothing is better to do that than modernising the Games itself, creating alternative events."
At the Youth Olympics, 3 600 athletes aged 14 to 18 are competing in the traditional 26 Olympic sports, but with a twist.
Some sports have been adapted to appeal to a younger audience with street basketball being played, and mixed gender teams in the triathlon and relay races in the swimming pool.
International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge on Saturday said that if they proved successful in Singapore, the changes could be included at future full-blown Olympics as early as Rio.
Nuzman said he supported the idea, which has also been backed by London 2012 chief Sebastian Coe.
"The three-on-three basketball introduced in Singapore is fantastic, and I’m in favour of its adoption at the Olympic Games," said Nuzman, explaining that a three-aside competition could run in conjunction with five-aside basketball.
He would also welcome events such as mixed teams in the 4x100m freestyle and medley relays in swimming.
He also noted that at the Youth Games there is a team competition in archery, which is not the case in the full-blown Olympics.
"We need to be bold to change," he said.
Given that they have the 2016 Olympics, Nuzman does not envisage a Brazilian bid for the Youth Games anytime soon.
"The Youth Olympic Games should be hosted by countries that believe it's not their time yet to organise the Olympic Games. We need to have that in mind. That's how I see these Games," he said.
