Barbados' young athletes are to be considered for the IOA Session through its National Session ©Getty Images

Applications have closed for young athletes to be a part of the National Session for Young Participants in Barbados, with leadership education and a youth forum expected to be part of the event next month.

The Barbados Olympic Association (BOA) is due to hold the two-day Session on August 20 and 21 with the main topic being "Sport and the Pandemic: Challenges, opportunities and changes for Barbados and the Caribbean".

Some other objectives from the BOA include introducing its participants to Olympism and ideals to improve knowledge of sport issues; allow young sportspeople to have a voice heard in decision-making and to identify potential candidates to attend the annual International Olympic Academy (IOA) International Session for Young Olympic Ambassadors.

Other topics at the Session are to cover areas such as the planning of sports events in a pandemic, safety in sport, athlete mental health management, physical literacy, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young athletes and a discussion on the balance between funding elite sport and youth development.

COVID-19's impact on sport is to be discussed too ©Getty Images
COVID-19's impact on sport is to be discussed too ©Getty Images

The role of technology in Caribbean sport and restructuring of sports organisations are also to be discussed.

Candidates must be between the ages of 20 and 30, be active in a National Federation, show a genuine interest in sports education.

Those who have previously attended the IOA International Session for Young Olympic Ambassadors are ineligible too.

A total of 20 candidates are to be invited to participate at the National Session for Young Participants, with a maximum of six being considered for an IOA Session, of which a maximum of two will be selected.