Three contenders, only one winner. Six months ago, the IOC Executive Board invited Asunción (Paraguay), Bangkok (Thailand), and Santiago (Chile) to participate in a targeted dialogue for the organization of the 2030 Youth Olympic Games. The race is heating up, as an IOC delegation led by Danka Hrbekova, chair of the YOG 2030 Working Group, has just completed an inspection visit to Bangkok. What are the key takeaways?
Existing and dynamic websites
In December, the IOC highlighted three strengths of the Thai bid: the exclusive use of existing or temporary infrastructure, with a university campus in Bangkok as the main Olympic village; an urban core and a coastal core to ensure memorable YOG for athletes; strong support from local and national authorities, which includes a commitment to finance 80% of the YOGO CO's budget. "The visit provided a clearer picture of the first two points in the clusters of Bangkok (19 sites, 22 sports) and Chonburi (7 sites, 8 sports).
« They didn't see 3D models or things on paper. They saw places where people were training, students playing basketball together. They saw the reality of what it was, and above all, that the sites were already there. ", a well-informed observer of the case told us. The goal was not to dazzle, but to show places where there were people playing, young people gathering, the energy that emanates from them. These are open sites, used every day by everyone, from top athletes to amateurs or young people discovering sports. »
The delegation visited Rajamangala Stadium, the Sports Authority of Thailand complex (swimming, archery, hockey, judo, shooting, skateboarding, climbing, taekwondo, tennis), Jomtien Beach, one of the country's most famous (beach handball, beach wrestling, sea rowing, modern pentathlon, triathlon), and Chulalongkorn Square urban park, in the heart of the university campus (beach volleyball, 3x3 basketball, road cycling). The university will be the epicenter of the Youth Olympic Games, hosting the main athletes' village: 5.645 student residence rooms will be used. 71% of the sports will take place within an hour of the village, and 95% of Bangkok's venues will be accessible by metro. Athletes competing in Chonburi and Phuket will be housed in hotels.
A young country and a sporting CV as long as your arm
The Youth Olympic Games would be part of a broader trend of investment in youth and infrastructure. This includes sports infrastructure – the Sports Authority has notably planned to modernize Rajamangala Stadium – but not only that – the international airport will be expanded, and the metro network continues to grow. Thailand has a long history of organizing major sporting events. In recent months, it has hosted the Women's Volleyball World Championship, the World Jiu-Jitsu Championships, the Southeast Asian Games and the ASEAN ParaGames.
It will also host the World Dodgeball Championships in December, and the Junior and U23 Canoe Slalom World Championships in 2027. The Youth Olympic Games would resonate particularly strongly in a country where 21% of the population is under 20. Thailand also hosts its own National Youth Games every year—a unique event that demonstrates the importance placed on sport and young people.
Surasak Phancharoenworakul, Minister of Tourism and Sports, reiterated the country's ambition to position itself as " A dynamic global hub for sport, youth development, and international events, Thailand boasts a strong and proven track record in hosting international sporting events, supported by high-quality infrastructure and close collaboration between the government, the private sector, educational institutions, and civil society. Hosting the 2030 Youth Olympic Games will create lasting value for our people, our economy, and our international image. Will the IOC be receptive to these arguments? We'll find out at the end of June.
