Africa's first Youth Olympics open in Senegal amid hope and scrutiny

Senegal's Youth Olympics bring pride, politics and legacy questions October 28, 2026On the final day of October, what may well be the final Summer Youth Olympics ever will begin. It will be the first on African soil as around 2,700 athletes aged 15-17 arrive in Senegal to compete across a total of 153 events in 25 sports. Hosted in eight venues across three locations – Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly, 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the capital – these Games are seen by many as a prelude to Africa hosting a full Olympics one day in the future. "I'm really excited about the Youth Olympic Games because, for the first time, I'll be representing our country," 15-year-old judoka Aisha Diop who is competing for Senegal told DW. "I am very proud to be able to represent my country at these Games. This will really motivate young African athletes because they will improve, and they will want to continue playing sports now that the Youth Games have been held here." An historic Games for Senegal and Africa The 2026 Youth Games in Senegal will also be a first beyond the history it is making in Africa. "Of the 2,700 athletes who will be competing in Dakar, there will be a 50-50 split between men and women," Olivia Nloga, Chief Brand Promotion Officer on the organizing committee, told DW. "But this parity isn't just reflected in the overall figure. This gender parity will also be reflected in each event and in each sport where such parity actually exists." Several sports are also making their debut at the Youth Olympic Games, such as five-a-side baseball, kung fu and the Senegalese specialty of beach wrestling. There's also a refugee team at the Youth Olympic Games for the first time. "As I said earlier, the Youth Olympic Games aren't just about sports, and they aren't just about infrastructure," said Nloga. "For us, it was also important to use this time to build on and reinforce the idea that these Games in Senegal are a celebration for the people. We did this by investing in culture—for example, through a fashion show and a program called Yi-sol, which is a mural project on the city's walls." Other projects designed to celebrate the people include music, and a local student designed the mascot. The biggest focus of all though, is on creating sustainability for the young people of Senegal. "We did so through a program that is very important to us – one that is close to our hearts, namely, the Olympic Civic and Sports Certificate," Nloga said. "We traveled to schools throughout Senegal and worked with more than 1,000 instructors to reach and make an impact on more than one million young Senegalese children who, during this hiatus, were exposed to and educated about the values of the Olympic Movement." With recent flooding in the country, there were concerns that infrastructure would have been affected, but Nloga insisted that flood risk had long been in the planning. "The prime minister held an interdepartmental meeting during which he established a task force to ensure that the necessary arrangements and follow-up measures are put in place to safeguard both the competition venues and the accommodation sites." Domestic issues remain With Formula 1 confirming its return to Africa earlier in October, global sport is slowly becoming a more regular event in Africa. As a result though, there have been questions asked about the legacy of such events. Many in Senegal concerned by the high cost of living and unemployment will see these Games as an unnecessary expense. For the Senegalese authorities though, they are an opportunity for long-term investment in the country's young people as well as infrastructure. There is also the hope that this will make Dakar a major tourist destination. There was further criticism of the Games being in Senegal from Human Rights Watch (HRW), with the NGO calling on the Senegalese authorities to change their stance on the LGBTQ+ community. "You are welcoming all of the world. It shouldn't be 'you are welcome to our country, except this, except that,'" Larissa Kojoué from HRW told DW. "Anti-LGBT legislation and that crackdown that is going on, they contradict the Olympic movement, the Olympic Charter, and also various human rights convention that the country has signed." Earlier this year, Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye signed into law new legislation on same-sex relations that have proved contentious abroad despite broad political support within the majority Muslim country's parliament. Several human rights groups had voiced concerns about the bill, including warning that it would dissuade people at risk of illnesses like HIV/AIDS from seeking help. Russia's return to the Olympics The Games also see the return of Russians to Olympic competition under their own colours after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) lifted their suspension in July. Nevertheless, each sport's international federation can decide whether to authorize the Russian athletes' participation. World Athletics, for example, is upholding its ban, while judo and swimming have allowed Russians to return to competition with their flag and national anthem. According to the Russian Olympic Committee, 13 athletes will compete at the Youth Games in Senegal accompanied by 10 coaches. Despite the various concerns, there is an overriding hope that the Games will be prove beneficial for all involved. "What makes the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar special is that they are also rooted in Senegal's extremely strong sporting culture," Nloga said. "Every evening, when you take a stroll along the Corniche in Dakar, you're struck by the number of people you see exercising, regardless of their age or physical condition. What we'll be offering during these Olympic Games is also an immersion into Senegalese life – into the way sports are just as much a part of Senegalese identity." Sira Thierij conducted interviews for this article. Edited by: Chuck Penfold