Gyor – Through its creative Young Ambassador Programme, the European Olympic Committees (EOC) Olympic Culture & Legacy Commission is helping young athletes competing at the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) embrace the Olympic values of friendship, respect and excellence.

After a successful pilot project at February’s Winter EYOF in Erzurum, the EOC asked European National Olympic Committees (NOCs) to nominate young athletes in their early twenties who have experience in competing at international youth competitions, strong communication skills and a good understanding of the Olympic Movement.

The first Summer EYOF ambassadors have been given the autonomy to think of their own ideas to help connect athletes in true Olympic spirit. Based in the EYOF fun zone at the Athletes’ Village, the fourteen young ambassadors have created a special EYOF handshake to help unite athletes who do not speak the same language.

Among many other interactive activities, the ambassadors have developed a Facebook group “EYOF Friends” for athletes to share photos, and an Olympic-focused quiz app. They have also built a special EYOF wall, where athletes can write personal messages. At the end of the festival, the wall will be divided into 50 small cards and presented as a gift to the Chef de Missions.

EOC Olympic Culture & Legacy Commission member Georgios Korellis, who has coordinated the programme on-the-ground, said:

“We are delighted with how this programme has worked in Győr. The ambassadors have been a credit to their NOC and to the EOC. They have been role models to the young athletes and have been crucial to their EYOF experience, bringing an amazing feeling of peace and unity. We are excited to see how this project grows in the future!”

Discussing the importance of sport in spreading Olympic values, Austrian Young Ambassador Anna Maria said:

“Sport is the best way to build bridges between countries. All the athletes here have a shared passion for sport that unites people and transcends cultural differences. As ambassadors we help them learn about other cultures and other sports, and help them build lasting friendships with athletes from different countries.”

The ambassadors also add an important dimension to the EYOF athletes’ experience away from their sport, helping them to have fun, deal with the pressure and realise that multi-sport Olympic events are about much more than just sport.

Discussing this part of the role, Cypriot young ambassador Chrystalleni Tricomiti, who won two rhythmic gymnastics gold medals at the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games, said:

“It is important for athletes to come home with memories other than their athletic performance, and we are here for that. We have all been in their position before, so we have experienced the stress that they are going through and how to deal with the pressure. It is important to enjoy the experience, and sometimes young athletes need someone to talk to, someone who is not their coach or fellow athlete. The Young Ambassador Programme is perfect in this sense.”

In addition, Israeli young ambassador Avital Gaz said:

“We are not their coaches, their athletic performance is not our concern. We are just here to make sure they are happy and have the best possible experience. This is a great opportunity for them to make new friends and learn about the Olympic Movement, as well as competing against the best young athletes in Europe.”