On January 9, 2012, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco was at the Fairmont Hotel in Monte-Carlo to attend the presentation of athletes who will participate in the 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games.

This event begins on January 13 – 22, 2012 in Innsbruck, Austria with athletes from around the world participating.  In a statement, Prince Albert II noted how incredibly proud he is that several athletes from Monaco will participate in the 2012 YOG’s:

In line with the first Summer Youth Olympic Games, I am pleased and proud that the Principality of Monaco can once again take part in this important event.

Beyond the sporting aspect with high-level competitions, the Winter Youth Olympics will teach young people the Olympic values of excellence, friendship, respect for others and social values such as the environment.

A rich cultural and educational program, innovative feature will allow these young people also addressed a number of important issues such as the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, the dangers of doping and their roles as ambassadors of sport in their respective communities.

This is one of the major strengths of this exciting project YOG, where it is mostly about learning and sharing.

I would hope that Bryan Pelassy, Alpine Skiing, Rudy Rinaldi and Jeremy Torre, Bobsleigh, can enjoy this unforgettable experience full and exciting. I wish them to build fully on what they learn in the YOG, to continue to develop this spirit of joy and self-transcendence, to continue their training and competition in the future.