Olympics must move with the times, says Coe

SINGAPORE (AFP) - – London 2012 chief Sebastian Coe on Sunday urged the Olympic movement to move with the times and not be afraid to innovate.

Coe, in Singapore for the inaugural Youth Olympics, said it was imperative to help capture the imagination of new generations.

"It's absolutely essential that you move with the times and understand that young people are in a very different space to where they were even five years ago," he said.

At the Youth Olympics, 3,600 athletes aged 14 to 18 are competing in the traditional 26 Olympic sports, but with a twist.

Some sports have been adapted to appeal to a younger audience with street basketball being played, triathlon with mixed gender teams and relay races in the swimming pool.

International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge on Saturday said that if they proved successful in Singapore, the changes could be included at future full-blown Olympics as early as Rio in 2016.