Rogge excited about first Youth Olympics in Singapore
Youth Olympic Games Venue: Singapore Dates: 14-26 August Coverage: Daily video highlights on the BBC Red Button and the BBC Sport website (UK only); Review programme on Saturday 21 August at 1350 BST on BBC1.
International Olympic Committee boss Jacques Rogge has praised the ethos of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games, which open in Singapore on Saturday.
Around 3,600 athletes from more than 200 nations are taking part, with diver Tom Daley leading Team GB's campaign.
Along with athletic events participants will attend work shops on Olympic values of fairness and equality.
"It's preparation for later Olympic life." Rogge said. "We are going to tell them things that are important."
The Games, which run from 14-26 August, feature all 26 sports on the London 2012 programme.
When not competing athletes will be schooled in a diverse range of subjects at the athlete's village. These will range from diet and training technique to warning against doping, racism and illegal betting.
Victoria Ohuruogu keen to match sister's success
Rogge is confident that along with being an exciting sporting spectacle, the event will prove to be a valuable educational experience for those involved.
"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."
Great Britain is sending a 40-member team, including world platform diving champion Daley and 400m runner Victoria Ohuruogu, younger sister of Olympic 400m gold medalist Christine.
Williams explains Youth Olympics mentor role
The squad will be mentored by Britain's Olympic skeleton champion Amy Williams, who has enthused about the lessons young athletes will take from the event.
"They've got an experience in front of them that they can go and learn from. They're going to grow as athletes and as people," she said.
"They will never forget this. They'll take it away with them and find out what they need to work on."
The games open on Saturday with a ceremony on a giant float in Marina Bay, also home to the Singapore Grand Prix street circuit.
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