Halfway through the second week of the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026, the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) takes stock. She talks about the opening ceremony, the Senegalese welcome, the refugee team and the future of the YOG.

Hello, Kirsty Coventry.

Hello, how are you?

We are in the middle of the second week of the Youth Olympic Games. Do you already consider them a success?

Yes, I would. These Games have been a success from the very first moment of the opening ceremony, which for me was fantastic for so many reasons. Firstly, because it has taken eight years to get to this point, after the pandemic and other postponements. And then being able to witness an opening ceremony done in the most beautiful way was a great moment. It was also shared across the whole continent: every African country showed it, and I think 28 countries around the world broadcast it as well. That made me feel really proud.

But the best part since the Games started has been seeing all the venues come to life. All the volunteers, all the hard work, all the teams in the venues welcoming their guests. They’re so proud to finally be welcoming people into the venues. We see the children, the schoolchildren coming out to cheer the athletes, and the athletes having a fun experience at the best level we can provide.

Everyone has told me that these Games have exceeded their expectations. People now believe in the capacity that Africa has, and that has been fabulous to hear.

Is there a particular moment that impressed you the most?

I think it’s really been the abundance of smiles around all the venues. We know that during Games time there are always little challenges to overcome. But there’s the warmth of the people, and how quickly everybody works to make everything perfect for every guest. That really reminds me of the African spirit. It’s what we like to promote on the continent: the kind of people we are, welcoming and engaging.

It’s also what national associations and international federations bring up most often with me: it has been a real joy to work with everybody here in Senegal and across Africa. A number of African countries also have teams here, learning and experiencing a major event. They’re now going to go home and, hopefully, pass that know-how on. That’s one of the things I’ve had the best feedback on.

Are these Games going to change the image of Africa in terms of its capacity to organise major events?

Yes, 100%. All of the Olympic Movement stakeholders I’ve spoken to have told me these Games have far exceeded their expectations, in the best way.

Athletes have come up to me to say they never thought they would ever come to Africa. Now they can’t wait to come back and compete in the next competition, and they’re really excited about it.

But it’s more than that. Through the Games, we’ve offered different learning opportunities to young Senegalese, and also to young Africans from all the National Olympic Committees. All of these young people are gaining real work experience, real-life experience. They can take it home and put it into their communities and their sport infrastructure. That’s an incredible legacy of these Games.

For the first time, there is a refugee team at the Youth Olympic Games. Have you met its members? What did they tell you? And why is it important to have such a team?

You’re right, this is the first time we have a youth refugee team, and I’ve met the entire team. They’ve been having a lot of fun, but above all they are so grateful for the opportunity to come together, to be one team and to be seen as equals by all the other teams. That’s really important, and it’s been some of the good feedback we’ve received.

They’ve learned so many different things and made new friends from around the world. That’s the power of sport: it breaks down barriers and boundaries, and it allows everybody to be seen as equal. That is the importance and the significance of our refugee team.

What will these Games leave behind in Senegal, for adults and for young people?

You only need to walk around the city to see it: as soon as the sun goes down, everyone comes outside and gets active. It’s a very, very active city, and the Games have amplified that.

It has been wonderful to see that the Government of Senegal, in all the regions, and the mayors of each city have taken the Games on board and are trying to integrate them into the everyday life of citizens. You can see that best all along the Corniche. So many young people, adults and even some elderly people come out to experience the Games and try different exercises and different sports.

That is the legacy of the Games: showing that being active creates a healthier and stronger community. And I think that’s what we’re seeing.

For the moment, no next edition of the YOG has been awarded, and the IOC has decided to take a pause. Does this mean that they are not yet fully meeting expectations?

We’ve realised that we simply need to re-examine how we engage with young people globally, and what that looks like. As you said, we’ve taken a pause. We don’t just want to decide what this means for us; we want to understand what it means for young people, and hear it directly from them.

So we’re in the process of reviewing how we engage with young people and how they expect us to engage with them. We’ll continue that work over the next few months so that we take everything into consideration before making any decisions.

Thank you very much, Kirsty Coventry.

Thank you.