By: Yunus S. Saliu
Six months ahead of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG), eight International Olympic Committee (IOC) Young Leaders from Africa, Europe, and the Americas are preparing to use sport as a platform to inspire, educate, and empower young people during the historic event in Senegal.
The IOC Young Leaders will play an active role throughout the Games, engaging directly with athletes and local communities through sport-based activities aimed at promoting inclusion, well-being, education, and youth empowerment. Dakar 2026 will mark the first Olympic event ever to be hosted on African soil, adding symbolic significance to the initiative, particularly for African participants and communities.
Based at the Athlete365 House within the Youth Olympic Village, the Young Leaders will organise interactive sessions, games, and learning experiences designed to demonstrate how sport and Olympic values can positively influence lives beyond competitive athletics. They are also expected to extend their engagement to surrounding communities in Dakar to ensure the impact of the Games is felt beyond official sporting venues.
The group comprises Audrey Oronda (Kenya), Jordan Joel (Nigeria), Nadine Taderera (Zimbabwe), Sara Moamen Abdelsamie (Egypt), Shereif Kholeif (Great Britain/Egypt), Jacqueline Simoneau (Canada), SunMin Park (Canada), and Rafael Valdivieso (Dominican Republic).
For many of the participants, Dakar 2026 represents more than an international sporting event, but a historic milestone for the African continent.
Egyptian IOC Young Leader Sara Moamen Abdelsamie described the Games as “history in the making,” noting that hosting the first Olympic event in Africa is a moment of pride and inspiration for the continent’s youth.
Similarly, Nigerian representative Jordan Joel said the event offers a unique opportunity to inspire young people and demonstrate how sport can contribute to addressing social challenges and strengthening communities.
Kenyan participant Audrey Oronda added that the Games will serve as a platform to amplify youth voices and promote inclusion across diverse communities.
The Young Leaders’ initiatives are aligned with the IOC’s Olympism365 strategy, which promotes the use of sport as a tool for sustainable development and social transformation. Their projects focus on key areas including education, gender equality, peace-building, inclusion, mental well-being, and community development.
Since its launch in 2016, the IOC Young Leaders Programme has supported young innovators across the world in using sport to drive positive change within their communities. The programme forms part of Olympism365, the IOC’s broader commitment to leveraging sport for sustainable social impact throughout the year.
The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games are scheduled to take place from October 31 to November 13, 2026.