Moscow Shines for Youth Olympics

In July, some 7,500 young men and women under 18 from 131 countries gathered in Moscow for the first-ever World Youth Games. Brainchild of Moscow’s ambitious mayor, Yuri Luzhkov, the Youth Games were a thinly-veiled attempt to show off Moscow as a potential site for a future Summer Olympic Games.

Luzhkov’s biggest coup was securing the blessing of the International Olympic Committee for the Youth Games. This allowed use of the Olympic logo in promotions and during the games, along with the phrase, "held with the patronage of the IOC." Media coverage for the games, however, was less forthcoming. Partisans in Russia’s media wars likely assumed that Luzhkov sought to use the Youth Games as an opportunity for nationwide (and worldwide) exposure. So television coverage was sparse at best--according to ITAR-TASS, on July 10, Luzhkov sent a letter to Yeltsin complaining that major Russian television stations were ignoring the World Youth Games.

But the most impressive achievement of the “House on Novy Arbat” (the mayoral offices) is that the games were conducted without a single kopek from federal coffers. It was revealed that sponsorships brought in some $22 million, but organizers were tight-lipped about the total cost of the games and the source of their financing.

Such reticence is likely due to the mayor’s office fear of being accused of conducting a “feast amid famine.” What with miners’ strikes, impending devaluation of the ruble, IMF bailouts, etc. Russia has plenty of urgent problems to solve. As Novaya Gazeta, which poses as the nation's sole, independent publication wrote, "$22 million in sponsors' money ... If one of us were mayor, then the Russakovskaya children's hospital [in Moscow] would have more apples."

And yet, it is unlikely that, without the games, any of Russia’s crisis situations would be bettered. Sponsors would not likely disburse $22 million on urgent social needs--that is not the kind of exposure they are after ...

There is also the view that the development of youth sports is an important social need. Ivan Nekhoroshev, a 72 year old Muscovite pensioner who participated in a poll published by Moskovsky Komsomolets daily newspaper said, “Nowadays, no matter how tough the situation in the economy, to economize on culture and sports is a crime against Russia's future." Lyudmila Aseeva, 69, took the opposing view, “Our children can't go in for sports because it costs huge money. So why do we need all this pokazukha [showing off]?" Aseeva, however, proved to be in the minority. According to an opinion poll by Mneniye, 63.9% of Muscovites said they believed the games were useful; only 23% said that it was just "a waste of money." As if to summarize the public mood, Moscow Deputy Mayor and Deputy Chairman of the Youth Games's Organizing Committee Valery Shantsev said, “We spent this money on children -- our future -- what other, more urgent needs can our country have?!"

From other quarters came a different set of accusations: of the abuse of human rights. Prior to the games’ opening, law enforcement bodies expelled all of Moscow's vagabonds -- the infamous bomzhi -- "beyond the 101st kilometer" (a popular phrase of the Stalin-era). Liberal publications like Izvestia reported that the Moscow city government had also ordered the international organization Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) to remove their portable facilities from downtown Moscow. Authorities allegedly believed that "a crowd of sick refugees would spoil the appearance of the Youth Games."

There were also critics of excessive security: according to some estimates, the total number of security forces of all types (militia, OMON, cadets, volunteers, etc.) hit 132,000, or roughly 20 security personnel per athlete. Document checks became rampant and security was often heightened in unexpected ways. This journalist saw some individuals stopped by the militia for the all-too-common practice of tossing cigarrette butts on the sidewalk before entering the metro.

While some of these accusations struck home, it is arguable that, given the threat and reality of attacks at recent international sporting events, more security was probably a safer option than less.

Critiques aside, the sporting events themselves, despite the absence of star power, were quite spectacular. Those who attended the opening ceremony at the newly refurbished Luzhniki Sports Stadium were, in the words of the Moscow Times, “treated to an out-of-this-world experience.” Swedish soccer judge Martin Ingvarson said the opening ceremony was like a fairy tale, “I have never seen anything like this, it was simply fabulous."

The contrast with the bumbling 1980 Moscow Olympics could not have been greater. Eighteen years ago, a catatonic Leonid Brezhnev helplessly mumbled his opening speech. But now, Yuri Luzhkov's powerful voice, coupled with a lively and beaming Boris Yelstin, stirred the audience. Sun was all but guaranteed: seven $800,000 cloud-seeding planes rose to the sky to dissipate the rain that had plagued the city the entire week previous. The bright and colorful performance even included a live link to the Mir space station, where the two Russian cosmonauts greeted the participants. Spectators rhythmically applauded the impressive choreography, which included horse stunts, Cossack dancing, gymnasts dressed as samovars and even national folk dances, like a scintillating Brazilian samba.

But the winningest participant in the opening ceremonies was Mishutka, who climbed the rainbow integrated into the games’ symbol to light the Olympic flame. Everyone seemed to fall in love with this Mishutka (“Little Bear”), who was a direct heir of the 1980 Olympics’ mascot, Mishka.

Even though the overwhelming majority of young athletes were relatively unknown to the general public, sports experts and coaches were paying close attention to the future crop of olympic talent. One of the rare internationally-known stars participating in the games was Russia’s Alina Kabayeva. At 14, Kabayeva is already a European gymnastics champion. Other internationally-known, under-18 Russian athletes did not compete, however. Notable by their absence were 17-year old tennis prodigy Anna Kournikova and 17-year old Alexandra Vasina, one the country's best swimmers.

Therefore, unlike adult Olympic games, there was not the traditional hype around overall medal counts of each country. But, just in case you are interested, Russia came first, Ukraine second, China third. And the US basketball team, needless to say, won the gold in basketball, defeating the Russian team by six points in the final.

As Mayor Luzhkov said, the games were not about "points" and “seconds" but rather about letting the young athletes in Moscow realize "what the Olympic spirits and Olympic friendship meant." It meant a lot to Brett Raian Boudinett from the Cook Islands. The 17-year old tennis player, the sole representative of the Cook Islands at the World Youth Games won his match in the first round of the youth tennis tournament, making him and his mom/coach ecstatic. Predrag Rusevski, 16, from Macedonia, didn't have as much luck in his draw. He faced  the Argentinian Guillermo Coria, winner of the 1997 Orange Bowl [for under-16 athletes]. Yet, Predrag fought fiercely and despite a loss, showed a decent game. Rusevski is used to difficulties -- just 20 km from his hometown war is raging on the territory of ex-Yugoslavia. While adults are busy warring, their children find a common language in Moscow: Predrag confessed that his best friends here were were athletes from Yugoslavia and Albania. And Christopher Lau, 11, the youngest member of the South African Ping Pong team, said in an interview with the Moscow Times, “The best thing is knowing that I will go down in the books because I came to Moscow for the very first junior Olympics, even if I don't win I'll always be able to remember that." His coach, Clement Mayor, noted that, six years ago Lau would not have even been allowed to come to Moscow. Mayor was himself once a junior champion but he was barred from every international tournament by apartheid sanctions. "These kids don't realize how lucky they are," he said.

At the end of the games, even the more skeptical critics noted that the games had achieved their goals. Young athletes, unspoiled by the vices of adult sports, were initiated into top level international competitions. Mayor Luzhkov, for his part, got the exposure he sought, and was awarded a Gold Prize by the International Olympic Committee, plus an assurance that at the upcoming December session of the IOC will decide to make the Youth Games a regular event to be held every fourth year, in between adult Olympics. "The World Youth Games in Moscow were a great success and deserve Olympic status," said Juan Antonio Samaranch, president of the IOC, before his departure from Moscow.

It is also noteworthy that the host city for the 2012 Olympic games will be selected at a session of the IOC in 2001, to be held in ... Moscow. That Samaranch made public comments to the effect that Moscow can hold sporting events to the highest international standards was seen by many as an ill-hidden hint that Moscow has an inside track on its bid for the 2012 games.

Meanwhile, Brazil, Argentina and Italy were said to be interested in holding the next World Youth Games. And, the President of the US National Olympic Committee, William Heeble, was quoted as saying that "14-17 years is the age when we lay the foundation of future sports achievements. Up until now we have been mostly concerned by professional sports, ignoring the youth. I don't rule out that the next World Youth Games, already in the third millennium, may be held in the US."