On 29 and 30 June 2026, Nairobi (Kenya) hosted an ANOCA Forum aimed at preparing African NOCs for the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 (LA28).

Jointly organised by Olympic Solidarity, ANOCA and NOC-K, this continental forum brought together representatives from all 54 African NOCs to address strategic, logistical, financial and ethical challenges ahead of LA2028.

The forum held 757 days prior to the opening ceremony, a defining moment identified by the organisers as crucial for careful planning. During deliberations, NOCs were briefed on the operational arrangements put in place by LA28 (venues, villages, transport, accommodation, ticketing), the new OS – ANOCA funding mechanisms, and in-depth discussions on athlete safeguarding, anti-doping and sport integrity.

The forum featured descriptive and explanatory sessions, combining plenary information sessions with interactive workshops to enable NOCs share their experiences.

Deliberations addressed every aspect of the NOC’s journey, from athlete qualifiers to post-Games management, including strategic planning, accreditation, transport, accommodation, communications, athlete selection, integrity, Safe Sport and anti-doping.

A key section of the forum was devoted to financial support for NOCs, which is essential to the success of African athletes. Olympic Solidarity and ANOCA presented more robust measures compared to previous editions.

Athlete safeguarding and sport integrity were key focus areas during workshops, particularly in the Olympic context, as these issues are becoming increasingly important with the approach of each edition of the Games.

The presence of all 54 African NOCs confirms the unanimous support of the African Olympic movement for this joint preparatory effort. Many delegations openly appreciated the high standard of the forum and the relevance of the discussions.

Resolutions and Recommendations for better prospects

At the end of the two-day meeting, participants, divided into working groups, proposed the following resolutions and action plans for African NOCs:

1. Anticipation and strategic planning: do not wait until the end of the qualifiers to start preparing. NOCs must draw up strategic plans now, involving all stakeholders (governments, federations), and strictly comply with LA28 deadlines.
2. Establishing delegation agreements: draw up a code of conduct (or commitment agreement) and have each member of the delegation sign it to ensure that athletes and officials take responsibility for complying with the rules of conduct and the Olympic Charter.
3. Emergency action plans: develop risk management mechanisms to respond swiftly to issues relating to mental health, doping and match-fixing.
4. Proactive management of formalities (visas and tests): make immediate use of the systems already in place (such as VisaLink) to anticipate difficulties in obtaining visas for the United States, and prepare for the SRY gene screening procedures for female athletes.
5. Use of digital tools: make the LA28 Extranet, NOCnet and the Athlete 365 platform everyday tools for athlete education and monitoring operations.
6. Continental synergy: strengthening collaboration between African NOCs (sharing training camps, exchanging best practice) to meet the logistical and financial challenges of the Games in the United States.

The following prospects were highlighted:

• Each NOC is to disseminate a national strategic plan for LA28 preparations, which incorporates the forum’s recommendations.
• Appointment of a certified Welfare Officer in each delegation and ensuring compliance with safeguarding requirements before the next qualifier deadlines.
• Monitoring, by ANOCA, of the allocation of performance grants to eligible NOCs in the eight priority sports.
• Continued dialogue between ANOCA, Olympic Solidarity and LA28 at the forthcoming chefs de mission meetings to fine-tune logistical arrangements as the continental qualifiers take shape.

The Nairobi Forum confirmed Africa’s planned success in LA2028. This will involve a transition towards a more professional and proactive approach to management on the part of NOCs.

ANOCA reiterated its unwavering support through its performance grant programme, while urging NOCs to be more responsive in their funding applications.

The 54 African NOCs left Nairobi with a clear roadmap, summed up by the slogan adopted at the end of the meeting: “anticipate, plan and move forward together” towards LA2028. This meeting confirmed the continental momentum set in motion by ANOCA to ensure that Africa’s participation in LA28 lives up to the continent’s athletic potential.