The Games, credited as being the brain-child of International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge, start officially on Saturday (August 14) with the Opening Ceremony at The Float @ Marina Bay.

The event, which lasts until August 26, will see around 3,600 athletes from more than 200 nations taking part with diver Tom Daley leading British medal charge.

When not competing, athletes will attend work shops on Olympic values of fairness and equality and be schooled in a diverse range of subjects at the athlete’s village ranging from diet and training technique to warning against doping, racism and illegal betting.

Coe, who is heading out here to watch some of the action, backed move to be hugely beneficial to all the participants in Singapore.

The double Olympic 1500 metres champion told insidethegames: "Singapore 2010 is the last big Olympic milestone until London 2012 so it’s highly substantial for us from that point of view but I think its really important that young people be given a practical view and a practical experience of the Olympic vision.

"You can give youngsters an Olympic vision, hoping they get it, but maybe it’s ten, 15, sometimes even 20 years before they get to an Olympic venue to compete if they get there at all.

"This is an opportunity for the Olympic values, particularly the cultural and educational components, to actually come to life during the formative years of their development."

Rogge is confident that the Games, which started tonight when Turkey beat Iran 4-2 in the opening match of the girls football tournament, will be a spectacular success.

He said: "We are entering a new field, the education field.

"It is about acquiring things, adopting them and executing them.

"They should not abandon their education.

"There is a time when they will not be competing any more and they need to reinsert into professional and social life."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
August 2010: Exclusive - Blatter delighted to see Iran compete in Singapore following controversy
August 2010: Alan Hubbard - Singapore is catching up world in recognising importance of sport
August 2010: Brazil hope Youth Olympics will be big stepping stone towards Rio 2016
August 2010: Singapore is audition for my role in sister act in London says Ohuruogu
August 2010: Olympic gold medallist to provide inspiration to British youngsters