The Lausanne 2020 Youth Olympic Winter Games (YOG) marked a before and after in Olympic history. Held between Switzerland and France, this competition not only stood out for its innovations, but also for its ability to inspire a new generation of athletes and promote Olympic values in an exemplary manner. Today, five years later, its legacy lives on in the host region and beyond, which is why the IOC has highlighted it from its official channels and the Vaudoise Arena will hold special events at the end of January.
Lausanne 2020 brought together 1,784 athletes from 79 national Olympic committees in eight venues. With disciplines such as ski mountaineering and women’s Nordic combined making their debuts on the Olympic program, and stars such as Eileen Gu and You Young reaching the top, the event was not only a sporting spectacle, but a platform for the future of sport.
PILLARS OF LAUSANNE 2020
Lausanne 2020 became a laboratory for sustainable innovation, aligning with the Olympic Agenda 2020. Its decentralized approach made it possible to minimize the carbon footprint by leveraging existing facilities. More than 80% of athletes and staff traveled by public transport, while innovations such as the wood pellet-fueled torch marked green milestones.
Tangible legacies include the Vortex, the athletes’ village, now home to 1,200 students, and the renovation of the Vaudoise Arena, now the epicenter of sporting and cultural events. This sustainable approach has inspired future Olympic venues, such as Milan-Cortina 2026.
THE SOUL OF THESE GAMES
Under the slogan ‘For youth, by youth, with youth’, youth participation was central to Lausanne 2020. From designing the mascot Yodli to creating the official anthem, 150,000 students contributed to the success of the Games. The ‘Lausanne en Jeux!’ cultural festival attracted 200,000 people and allowed 80,000 students to try Olympic sports, awakening dreams of the future.
This model inspired initiatives such as ‘Dakar en Jeux!’ in Senegal and programs such as ‘Vaud Generations Champions’, which connects students with elite athletes, fostering Olympic values and interest in sport.
LEGACY IN SPORT AND EDUCATION
Lausanne 2020 also boosted Olympic education through workshops and interactive resources for athletes. Collaborations with institutions such as the University of Lausanne left programs on mental health and injury prevention that continue to this day. In addition, the experience gained in organizing events reinforced Switzerland’s position as a benchmark in sports competitions.
The Games also left their mark on sports infrastructure. Les Diablerets and Leysin, skiing and snowboarding venues, have established themselves as international training centers, promoting new championships and projects such as the Swiss Olympic Park.
CELEBRATING FIVE YEARS
To mark the fifth anniversary of Lausanne 2020, the Vaudoise Arena will host special events during the Women’s National Cup Final-4 on January 25-26. Activities will include sports initiation sessions and free access to the Yodli ice rink. In addition, 1,000 students will participate in a Games legacy contest, with prizes including weeks of winter sports in Leysin. The occasion is not to be missed as this celebration speaks to the resounding success of a Games that fulfilled its goal of improving society.
