Senegal is set to host the Youth Olympic Games, marking the first time an Olympic event will take place in Africa. The games commence on Saturday in Dakar, Diamniadio, and Saly, featuring around 2,700 young athletes aged 14 to 17, who will compete until 13 November.
Celebrations will include hundreds of dancers showcasing Senegalese and African culture, reflecting the motto, “Africa welcomes, Dakar celebrates.” Senegalese student Thomas Dieme expressed excitement about the opportunity to explore new sports and welcome diverse cultures.
The opening ceremony will be attended by notable figures, including French-Senegalese actor Omar Sy and TikTok sensation Khaby Lame, both ambassadors for the games. The event’s mascot, Ayo, a young lion donned in a traditional Fulani hat, symbolises “joy” in Yoruba, a language from West Africa.
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye will officially launch the games at 6:30 PM local time (0830 GMT) at the Diamniadio stadium, with presence from International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry and various heads of state.
The Youth Olympics feature 153 medal events across 25 sports, including athletics, swimming, and basketball. Noteworthy additions include Baseball5, Wushu, coastal rowing, and beach wrestling, the latter being closely tied to Senegal’s national wrestling tradition.
The games also introduce the first refugee team, comprising six athletes competing in track and field, judo, and taekwondo, hailing from Kenya and Uganda.
These games occur 130 years after the inception of the modern Olympics in Athens. Coventry noted this as a pivotal moment for Africa, having become the IOC’s first African and female president last year.
Africa has been increasingly embracing sporting events as tools for diplomacy and development. While Senegal aims to benefit from the games, it faces challenges with public finances amid a debt crisis and rising living costs, prompting many citizens to prioritise essentials over attending the events. Criticism has also arisen over the government’s allocation of funds for youth attendance at the games.
President Faye has justified the expenditure, highlighting renovations to sports facilities, youth training, and local business contracts linked to the event.
Additionally, a Russian delegation will participate under its national flag for the first time since being banned from Olympic events after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, marking a potential shift in the IOC’s stance.
