Singapore 2010 boss defends spiralling costs 18/08/2010 |
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Singapore 2010 chief executive Goh Kee Nguan has defended the cost of staging the Youth Olympic Games (YOG).
The inaugural YOG got underway at the weekend and runs until August 26. While it was originally anticipated that the Games would cost no more than $30m to stage, that figure had already risen to $90m when Singapore won the right to host the event in February 2008.
Singapore’s Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports admitted last month that the total cost was now $286m, but Goh maintains that the YOG provides value for money when compared to other events of its stature.
“The cost of organising the Games has increased from the bid proposal as a result of finer definition of the Games and refinement of specific requirements,” the head of the organising committee told the Press Association’s The Sport Briefing.
“Control of cost is always a challenge, but in Singapore's usual prudent expenditure, much review and oversight of the budget is being carried out. Notwithstanding the increase in cost, the budget for Singapore 2010 is one of the lowest in any Games of the equivalent scope and size.”
It emerged earlier this year that Norway’s Lillehammer was the only city to have tabled a bid for the 2016 Youth Winter Games, sparking fears over the event’s future.
But the Netherlands has already expressed an interest in hosting a future edition of the summer YOG since Singapore 2010 began and Goh hopes the Games will encourage more cities to bid for the event.
“Media interest has surpassed expectations and the inaugural Games will be broadcast worldwide,” Goh added. “Sponsorship has also been most encouraging with active participation from TOP sponsors and partners. We are hopeful that Singapore will play a significant role to encourage keener interest in future bids.”
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