The 2022 Summer Youth Olympic Games, scheduled to take place in Dakar, Senegal, from October 22 to November 9, has been postponed to 2026, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Wednesday.
“President Macky Sall’s proposal was welcomed by IOC President Thomas Bach, following in-depth discussions on the subject. This postponement meets the requirement of responsibility and the concern for efficiency imposed by the current circumstances,” a statement from IOC said.
The agreement was approved on Wednesday by the IOC Executive Board, and will be submitted to the IOC session for ratification on Friday.
“This amicable agreement illustrates the mutual trust between Senegal and the IOC,” Bach said, adding: “I am sure that, together, we will organise a fantastic Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026 for Senegal, the entire African continent and all the young athletes of the world.”
The Youth Olympics is one of several sporting events, including the Tokyo Olympics, which have been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The IOC said that the postponement of Dakar 2022 will allow the IOC, the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and the International Federations (IFs) to plan their activities better, and allow Senegal to carry on the excellent preparations for the Youth Olympic Games.
“The IOC and Senegal understand that this news will be disappointing for many young athletes. Both parties can only appeal to their understanding. This agreement results from the large scale of the operational challenges which the IOC, the NOCs and the IFs are facing following the postponement of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020,” said the IOC.
“With this in mind, the IOC will continue to offer all IFs and NOC Continental Associations the full content of the educational programmes of the Youth Olympic Games. This will allow for the objectives of this very important and much-appreciated component of the YOG to be maintained through the many events organised between now and 2026, in particular during the Continental Youth Games,” it added.