Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Dakar 2022 postponed to 2026
Dear National Federation,
On 15 July 2020, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Senegal announced their mutual agreement to postpone the Youth Olympic Games DAKAR 2022 to 2026. The decision, which came as a result of the disruption to preparations as well as operational and financial challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic following the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Games and major international sports events, was then ratified at the IOC Session on 17 July.
During this IOC Session, FEI President and IOC Member Ingmar De Vos made a powerful appeal to allow each sport to nevertheless have the opportunity to host their own individual “Youth Olympic” competition to replace the postponed Games thereby ensuring that this generation of young athletes do not miss out on an Olympic opportunity. He referred to the words of the IOC President stating “every crisis offers opportunities” and went on to propose:
“Would it be possible to allow individual IFs, if they wish to do so and if it answers a clear need, to organise in 2022 a competition as a replacement of the YOG built around the same principles and with the endorsement of the IOC? This would allow us to have a kind of continuity in 2022, it would give this generation an alternative Event which will allow us to specifically promote Olympism and the Olympic Values with our Young Athletes. (…)
“Mr. President, Youth is the future and Youth is also one of the key priorities in Olympic Agenda 2020 and I am sure it will remain a priority also in future plans and strategies of the IOC beyond Olympic Agenda 2020. I believe we should avoid that this YOG2022 generation would be lost and I would be grateful if the IOC could take this proposal into consideration and support it.”
The full press release from the IOC regarding the postponement can be found HERE.
Watch the IOC session HERE.
Kind regards,
FEI Communications Department
