Lausanne, Switzerland - The bidding process for the 2014 Youth Olympics opened on Friday, the International Olympic Committee said.

The IOC said in a statement that interested cities have February 9, 2009, to formally bid for the event bringing together around 3,500 athletes aged 14-18 in the Olympic summer sports.

Bid files have to be submitted by July 2009, a shortlist will be set up in October and the host city elected by the IOC in February 2010.

The inaugural Youth Olympics, the brain child of IOC boss Jacques Rogge, take place 2010 in Singapore and the first winter edition 2012 in Innsbruck, Austria. (dpa)