History
In 1990, on the initiative of the President of the International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge, who at that time headed the association “European Olympic Committees,” a decision was made to hold once every two years the Winter and Summer European Youth Olympic Days (JUD). This is what the competitions of young athletes were called for the first time.
In 1991, the first Summer EUOD was held in Brussels, and two years later, in the Italian city of Aosta – the first Winter Festival took place.
At previous Summer Festivals, the program usually included ten sports, four of which were team games. However, participating countries (excluding the host country) could compete only in one team sport. All nine Summer Festivals featured basketball, volleyball, gymnastics (in 1991 – artistic, in all subsequent – artistic gymnastics), judo, athletics, and swimming.
Cycling, handball, tennis, and football competitions were held at most European Youth Olympic Festivals. In different years, badminton, sailing, kayaking and canoeing, table tennis, and field hockey were also included. It should be noted that gymnastics competitions are held only among girls, and cycling competitions – among boys.
At each Festival, only girls' teams participate in two of the four team sports, and only boys' teams in the other two. The decision on which sports girls or boys will compete in is made by the Organizing Committee of a specific Festival with the consent of the EOC.
Despite its short history, the Festival has already managed to prove its significance. Analyzing the composition of EUOF participants, one can trace a trend: the majority later join the main national teams of their countries and successfully perform at the Olympic Games and other international competitions.
Over the years, participants have included four-time Olympic swimming champion Yana Klochkova (Ukraine), three-time Olympic champion Pieter van den Hoogenband (Netherlands), two-time Olympic cross-country skiing champion Kristina Shmygun (Estonia), Olympic athletics champions Gabriela Szabo (Romania) and Carolina Klüft (Sweden), tennis player Justine Henin-Ardenne (Belgium), multiple Olympic medalist Evgenia Radanova (Bulgaria), and many others.