Athletes from 71 countries gather in Pune, India, for the Youth Commonwealth Games. Besides promoting competitions among young athletes, the event is marked by respect for culture and youth celebrating the Olympic values. These are the features that prompted representatives of Rio’s 2016 Bid Committee to follow the event that started on  Sunday.

In September, another team took part in the VI World Forum on Sport, Education and Culture sponsored by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). President Carlos Arthur Nuzman and International Relations Director Mario Cilenti are in Pune for the event. “We couldn’t miss this event,  the Youth Commonwealth Games contribute to the dissemination of the Olympic values all around the planet. This is an initiative that matches the ideals of Rio’s 2016 Bid. We came to learn and we will be taking back good ideas to enhance our project”, Carlos Arthur Nuzman explained.

This is the third edition of the Youth Commonwealth Games, being now staged in Asia for the first time. More than one thousand athletes have entered the athletics, badminton, boxing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, weightlifting and wrestling championships. The competition is a preparation for the 2010 Common Wealth Games that will also be held in India.