IOC confirms 31 Athlete Role Models for Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games

There are exactly 171 days remaining until the opening ceremony of the YOG, which begins on 31 October 2026 in Dakar, where a total of 2,700 young athletes are expected to compete across 25 sporting codes.

Speaking exclusively to SABC Sport, Director of the Athletes’ Department at the IOC, Kaveh Mehrabi explained exactly what the Athlete Role Model programme is about.

"Their job is to engage with the young athletes during the games, to share with them their experience, to share with them what it takes to be an Olympian," said Mehrabi

"What it takes to be a world champion, and how can you get there, what it takes to be prepared for a competition, how do you deal with the nerves that comes with it, you know, when you are about to go on the field of play, when you are nervous, how do you manage that, and how do you also manage the different aspects of the sports, in terms of the mental health, but in terms of the dual career, all different aspects of the sports that it makes a good and holistic athlete."

"This is a program that has been hugely successful in the past, and we are very much looking forward to this edition to Dakar. Just to give you some of the stats as well, we have already 31 athletic role models appointed, so out of these 31, they are representing 18 countries, and actually nine of them are from African countries."

Mehrabi said the Athlete Role Model first had to receive nominations from the International Federations of their respective sports whom they believed met the criteria.

Names such as Christopher Bak (USA), Remy Bedu (France), Xiaoxiao Lai (China), Douglas Brose (Brazil) Senegals very own Edmond Sanka and many others have been entrusted to guide the junior athletes.

Mehrabi added that a close eye should be kept on African athletes over the next few years to assess the impact the Youth Olympic Games has had on the continent.