VANCOUVER - It's a vision that combines the idealism of the Olympic movement with the promise of youth.

Whether the Youth Olympic Games can reach that lofty goal remains to be seen.

The Canadian Olympic Committee will announce its 60-member team and flag-bearer for the inaugural Youth Olympics on Tuesday.

The Youth Olympics, which will be held Aug. 14-26 in Singapore, have long been the dream of International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge. The event will attract over 3,600 athletes between the age of 14 and 18 from over 200 countries. They will participate in sport competitions mixed with cultural and educational programs.

"We are engaged at all levels of these Games," said Caroline Assalian, executive director of Games for the COC, who will also will act as the Canadian chef de mission in Singapore.

It's difficult to put an exact label on the Youth Olympics. The 26 sports involved are the same as at an Olympic Games, but "perhaps not in the same format," said Assalian.

Canadian athletes will compete mostly in individual sports since Canada didn't qualify in the team competitions.

In swimming, men and women will race in a mixed-gender relay. One of the track events is a medley relay featuring one leg each of the 100, 200, 300, and 400 metres.

The team competition in archery will feature not only both men and women together, but athletes from different countries on the same team. Basketball will be three-on-three. The triathlon will be half the distance of the Olympic event. The canoe and kayak will feature head-to-head races.

Assalian said Canadian athletes are going to the Games with the idea of winning, but the COC has not set any medal targets.

"I am not aware of any country that has performance targets for these Games," she said. "We want the athletes that compete in these Games to experience what it's like competing in a multi-sport Games environment.

"You will see some of these athletes represent Canada in future Games, perhaps even in Rio at the 2016 Olympic Games."

Olympic historian John MacAloon said the Youth Games are an attempt by the IOC to steer the Olympic train back onto the track originally envisioned by Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Games.

"Clearly the Youth Olympics is a tacit acknowledgment by the IOC that the conventional Olympics have lost their contact with Olympic philosophy, which is about inter-culture encounter, detente and human rights," MacAloon said in a telephone interview from the University of Chicago.

"Whether it will be successful or not, absolutely, utterly remains to be seen."

Even some people inside the IOC question the value of the Youth Olympics, he said.

"A lot of Rogge's colleagues are skeptical of the whole damn thing," said MacAloon.

Pierre Lafontaine, chief executive officer for Swimming Canada, said any problems the Youth Olympics face are outweighed by the potential.

"There is going to be growing pains only because of the ages and number of kids and so on," he said. "I think you have to start somewhere.

"They are going to learn from that and I think it's going to be way better the next time around. It's good for the Olympic ideals. As it grows, I think it will be tweaking what issues it has from sports to sports."

Lafontaine has already talked to officials with the cities of Ottawa and Gatineau about Canada hosting a future Youth Olympics.

The four women and four men Swimming Canada are sending to Singapore look at the Games as a legitimate competition, Lafontaine said.

"They are going to be there first and foremost for the event, and then for the experience," he said.

Assalian said the 60 Canadian athletes will be supported by a staff of about 25 coaches, doctors, therapists and administration people. This is a far smaller contingent than what normally travels to a major Games.

Overall, the COC has budgeted just over $200,000 for the Youth Olympics.

"We are going very lean," said Assalian. "Our eye is still on the ball for London (the 2012 Summer Olympics). That certainly is our primary event."

The non-sports aspect of the Youth Olympics includes a world culture village where visitors from around the world can meet and learn about other cultures.

There will be art events and a 'Chat With Champions' where young athletes can meet and talk with Olympic stars.

Among the athletes participating will be Canadians Beckie Scott, an Olympic gold medallist in cross-country skiing, and Charmaine Crooks, a silver medallist in track.

Just like an Olympics, the athletes in Singapore will live in a village and undergo drug testing. The Games' budget is around US$75 million to come from sponsorship and government.

No new venues were built for the event.

Innsbruck, Austria, will host the first winter Youth Olympics in 2012.

The IOC website for Youth Olympics is very much geared for a young, MTV generation. The site has flashy graphics, catchy music and plenty of videos.

Assalian said the COC supports the dual goals of the Youth Olympics.

"It's a great motivating opportunity for athletes to stay focused on training and competition so that one day they will be part of a Canadian Olympic team," she said.

"We all want the youth of the world, especially the Canadian youth, to really focus on being leaders within their community . . . living day to day the Olympic values. That's the added benefit of these Youth Olympic Games."

MacAloon said the true measure of success for Youth Olympics will be judged by how many young people pay attention to the event through the Internet or other forms of social networking.

"Did the thing attract the slightest attention by world youth?" said MacAloon.

"The jury is absolutely out whether this was a brilliant move to reconnect Olympic sport with the Olympic movement or whether it will turn out to simply be another boondoggle for the federations and national Olympic committees."