What is the Australian Youth Olympic Festival?

The Australian Youth Olympic Festival (AYOF) was initiated by the Australian Olympic Committee following the success of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

The inaugural Festival was held in January 2001 and has subsequently been held biennially. The AYOF is fully funded by the Australian Olympic Committee and is held under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee.

The AYOF’s mission is to discover future Olympic Champions, provide them with an environment reminiscent of an Olympic Games and promote the Olympic ideals of fair play, honesty and pride.

The Australian Youth Olympic Festival offers a unique opportunity for aspiring Olympians to compete in an environment similar to the Olympic Games.

They will experience and be exposed to:
• A large scale international multi-sport event
• Drug education and drug testing by ASADA
• Olympic Village style accommodation and dining
• Opening Ceremony and protocols including lighting the Festival Flame, flying the Olympic Flag, the Parade of Nations and stating the Olympic Oath
• Accreditation
• Welcome arrival packs
• Medal Ceremonies

AYOF Sport Participation

Since the inaugural Festival in 2001 nearly all the Summer Olympic Games sports have been featured on the sport program on a rotational basis.

From a humble beginning in 2001 comprising of participants competing in 10 summer sports, the Festival has grown significantly and in 2009 will have 22 sports, comprising of 2,500 athletes and officials representing over 20 countries.

The majority of sports are held in the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games venues with competitions conducted by the National Federations under the rules of International Federations.

The age range for the Festival is for athletes between 13-19 years of age.      

Australian Olympic Ambassadors

Olympians are nominated by their sport and endorsed by the AOC Athletes’ Commission. An ambassador’s role is to raise the profile of the AYOF and be a role model and mentor for the AYOF competitors.

The ambassadors' role is to pass on their experiences of attending an Olympic Games including the feeling of representing your country, living in the village, being a team-mate and competing on the world stage.

The Live Clean Play Clean Drug Education Program and ASPIRE messages will be spread by the ambassasors to help the AYOF athletes develop an appreciation for the values, spirit and philosophy of the Olympic movement.

As well as attending training and competition sessions the ambassadors will mingle with the athletes at the village, during meal times and will play a role in the Opening Ceremony.

AYOF Objectives

• To support the mission of the International Olympic Committee by providing an environment free of discrimination, a spirit of fair play and education of youth in sport.
• To support the Australian National Sporting Federations to provide the highest level of competition standards to talented young athletes at a multi-sport event.
• To provide Olympic experiences to young athletes by providing a memorable Opening Ceremony, living in a village environment, undergo drug testing and receive medals in the tradition of the Olympic Games.
• To educate athletes on the benefits of the AOC’s Live Clean Play Clean drug education program.
• To showcase the world class competition venues built for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
• To ensure all athletes, officials, members of the workforce and spectators gain a positive and friendly experience from the festival.