--

Wild Boars Thai football team become guests of honor at Summer Youth Olympic Games

SHOTLIST: Buenos Aires, Argentina. 7th October 2018.

00:04 SOUNDBITE Thomas Bach, IOC President (Spanish Language):

"Today, we remember that group of brave Thai youngsters who were trapped in a cave during 17 days, the members of the Wild Boars football team. We have invited them here so that they could share their experience with other young athletes. Welcome Wild Boars!"

00:40 SOUNDBITE Thomas Bach, IOC President (English Language):

"We are very happy that the Thailand wild boars football team has accepted our invitation to join the young athletes here at these YOG. They will live together with these young athletes in the Olympic village and in such a way they will be able to share their experience."

01:15 IOC President Thomas Bach during a gathering with the Wild Boars team

01:21 Detail shots of players of the Wild Boars team as they listen to IOC President Thomas Bach

01:31 Various shots of the Wild Boars team and Thomas Bach interacting during their gathering

01:53 The Thai players are welcomed by a guard of honour into the River Plate Stadium by the club's youth team

02:00 Wild Boar Football Team are presented with an emblem of the River Plate Club by a player as both captains shake hands in front of their teams.

02:06 Action of both teams practicing drills together at the River Plate stadium

02:21 Detail shot of a near goal from River Plate

02:25 Action of Roller Speed Skaters travelling around the track on their race

02:29 Detail shots of the Wild Boars Football Team watching the Roller Speed Skating action

02:33 IOC President Thomas Bach applauds the athletes in the crowd

02:37 The Wild Boars team walks towards and get onto their bus

02:47 Shots of the boys waving goodbye out of their bus window



STORYLINE:

The 'Wild Boars' football team, who were rescued from a flooded cave in Thailand, were guests of honor on Sunday (7th October) the first day of competition at the Youth Olympic Games.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

The 'Wild Boars' football team, who gripped global attention as they were rescued from a flooded cave in Thailand, were honoured by the Olympic Committee with an invitation to the 3rd summer Youth Olympic Games, Buenos Aires 2018.

On Saturday, IOC President Thomas Bach and the Mayor of Buenos Aires, Horacio Rodriquez Larreta, welcomed them to the Argentine capital. The boys, aged between 11 and 17, were introduced to the hundreds of thousands of spectators partying on the streets of Buenos Aires for the opening ceremony of the Games.

President Bach told the crowd: "We remember the group of youngsters who stayed trapped for 17 days in a cave, the members of the football team, the Wild Boars. They\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ demonstrate the importance of sports values."

The 'Wild Boars' became one of most famous football teams in the world earlier this year -for all the wrong reasons. They were stranded in an air pocket for several days as waters rose around them in a complex network of caves they were exploring last June.

The special opportunities did not stop with their appearance at the opening ceremony. The boys were also invited to play on Sunday against the junior team of one of Argentina's most famous clubs, River Plate, at the iconic Estadio Monumental.

"The boys are very pleased to be here, and very excited," said Werachon Sukondhapatipak, head of the Thai Olympic delegation, who accompanied them on a VIP tour of the famous stadium's museum before the match.

The Wild Boars did not seem overwhelmed by the occasion. Facing some of the top youngsters aged 12 to 15 in Argentina, the Thai side were equally as skilled during the small-pitch game, leading 3-1 before eventually drawing 3-3, as an excited Thai delegation looked on from the stands.