Flamme olympique : Fatali dénonce « l’oubli » de Macky Sall et interpelle Diomaye
Just days before the start of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG), the Fatali collective is speaking out. In a statement published on September 12, it deplores the lack of public recognition shown to former president Macky Sall during the Olympic torch relay ceremony.
For the Fatali collective, the organization of the Youth Olympic Games in Senegal cannot be separated from the leadership and initiatives undertaken under Macky Sall's presidency. The collective points out that Senegal was chosen over several other countries, notably Tunisia, Nigeria, and Botswana, which had also submitted bids.
According to the Fatali collective, winning the Youth Olympic Games is the result of work begun well before the current regime came to power. The collective cites, in particular, the investments made in sports and transport infrastructure, as well as the international credibility acquired by Senegal.
"If Senegal was able to position itself to host, for the first time in Africa, an Olympic competition of this scale, it is also because President Macky Sall had, from his first term, undertaken a policy of modernizing infrastructure," he emphasizes.
The group also believes that the country's stability, its sports diplomacy and its performances on the international stage have helped to strengthen its case.
He also points out that the organization of the Youth Olympic Games represents a significant investment for the State of Senegal and its partners, announced at 130 million euros.
It is in this context that the Fatali collective criticizes the lack of mention of Macky Sall's role during the Olympic flame welcoming ceremony. President Diomaye Faye and the members of the Youth Olympic Games Organizing Committee (COJOJ), appointed by the Head of State, could, according to the collective, have taken this opportunity to pay tribute to the former president.
Fatali considers this omission a "lack of republican elegance." For the group, national achievements must be inscribed within a logic of continuity of the State, beyond political changes.
The group is therefore calling on President Faye to "correct his course" at the Youth Olympic Games opening ceremony. In particular, they want Macky Sall to be officially invited and given a prominent place at this historic event.
"Senegal must be able to celebrate its successes without erasing those who contributed to making them possible," says the Fatali collective.
For its members, the Youth Olympic Games certainly represent a victory for Senegal, but should also be an opportunity to remember that great national achievements are the result of a long-term process.
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