Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games: Mamadou Diagna Ndiaye wants to make these Games a benchmark for Africa

“Tonight, Africa is no longer on the sidelines of the Games; it has become their heart.” With these words, Mamadou Diagna Ndiaye opened his address at the opening ceremony of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) on Saturday, October 31. The president of the Senegalese National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSS) emphasized the historic significance of this event, while also expressing his ambition to make it a lasting legacy for the African continent and future generations.

"For the first time in history, the Olympic flame is burning on our continent. For the first time, the youth of the world are guests of Africa," he said, welcoming the participants to Dakar 2026.

Looking back on the process that led to the organization of these Games, Mamadou Diagna Ndiaye recalled that the adventure began in Buenos Aires in 2018, when Dakar's bid was accepted. He also mentioned the difficulties linked to the Covid-19 pandemic, which had cast doubt on whether the event would even take place.

According to him, the realization of this project was made possible thanks to the continuity of the State, the determination of the organizing committee, and the commitment of the current authorities. He particularly praised the role of the President of the Republic, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, in the final months of preparation.

The president of the CNOSS also paid tribute to Senegalese women through the image of the 100 women leaders, whom he presented as the "100 modern-day 'linguères'", who carried the Olympic flame to the Place du Souvenir Africain.

"You have carried the memory of our mothers, the strength of our communities and the promise of our daughters. Africa is moving forward with its women. Tonight, the world sees it," he emphasized.

The flame, lit at the origins of the Olympic movement, then crossed the seas before traveling through the fourteen regions of Senegal. Passed from hand to hand, it brought together champions and ordinary people, young and old, around a common symbol of national pride.

Mamadou Diagna Ndiaye also praised the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Kirsty Coventry, the first woman and the first African to lead the institution. He stated that holding the Games in Dakar for the first time carries particular symbolic significance and represents the opening of new opportunities for the continent.

Addressing the young athletes from around the world, the president of the CNOSS invited them to make these two weeks a time of fraternity, respect, and closer ties between peoples. He urged them to consider their opponents not as enemies, but as partners who contribute to their progress.

"Win, lose, try again, but above all dare, dare to be friends," he told them, before adding: "The greatest record will not be measured in seconds or medals. It will be the record of unity that you will create here."

Beyond the sporting competition, Mamadou Diagna Ndiaye also highlighted the Senegalese cultural identity that Dakar 2026 intends to promote. He specifically mentioned "Jom," which refers to dignity, "Kersa," a symbol of respect, and "Ngor," associated with self-improvement.

The president of the CNOSS also emphasized the need to leave a tangible legacy for the local communities. The equipment and infrastructure mobilized for the Games must continue to serve students, pupils, and residents of the neighborhoods after the competition.

"We wanted Games that were useful, simple and sustainable. We don't want to leave a burden, we want to leave a legacy," he stated.

In the last part of his speech, he presented Dakar 2026 as a message addressed to Africa, called upon to demonstrate its capacity to welcome the world, but also to the youth, invited to take control of their future.

"Tonight, we are not lighting a flame to illuminate a stadium, we are lighting it to illuminate a generation," he said, urging young people to preserve this flame and to light others upon their return to their respective countries.

Reaffirming Senegal's commitment to organizing safe, joyful and unforgettable Games, Mamadou Diagna Ndiaye concluded his speech with a clear ambition: to make Dakar 2026 much more than a parenthesis in Olympic history.

"We don't want to be a parenthesis, we want to be a reference," he declared, before concluding with these words: "Long live the youth, long live Senegal, long live Africa, long live Olympism!"