IOC President Bach awarded Honorary Professorship from Nanjing Sport Institute

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach was awarded an Honorary Professorship from the Nanjing Sport Institute (NSI) Tuesday in Nanjing, China, host of the 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games.

The IOC President said that he was delighted to receive such a prestigious award from an institution that truly understands and promotes the values of Olympism.

"It is in everybody's interest that we get the couch potatoes off the couch. We should make everyone aware that a healthy mind in a healthy body leads to healthy citizens in a healthy state," President Bach said. "Your institution continues to innovate and has done wonderful work not only in this city, but also in the Province of Jiangsu, nationally and internationally."

The NSI was founded in 1956 and has been producing athletes, sports educators and sports scientists of the highest calibre ever since. The school's alumni include 15 Olympic gold medallists and almost 100 world champions.

Situated on 40 hectares of land at the foot of the Purple Mountain in Nanjing, the NSI is one of China's largest athletic training bases. The complex includes training facilities for sports such as gymnastics, trampoline, fencing, cycling, swimming, diving and synchronised swimming. During the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games, the NSI is hosting the badminton and tennis competitions.