Rashid Al-Kindi Participates in Chefs de Mission Seminar for Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games
Rashid Ibrahim Al-Kindi, Chef de Mission of the Omani delegation to the Dakar 2026 Summer Youth Olympic Games, participated in the Chefs de Mission Seminar held in Dakar, Senegal, from April 8 to 11. The seminar brought together 175 Chefs de Mission representing National Olympic Committees (NOCs), in addition to 270 participants attending virtually.
The seminar featured a series of plenary sessions addressing various technical and administrative aspects related to participation in the Games, including accommodation arrangements, hotel allocation for official and media delegations, and the readiness of competition venues currently being prepared ahead of the event.
Discussions also covered preparations for the Opening Ceremony, which will be held at Stade Abdoulaye Wade, with a seating capacity of approximately 50,000 spectators. Bilateral meetings were also conducted to respond to inquiries from NOC representatives, particularly regarding athlete qualification systems and criteria, which are governed by the respective International Federations in coordination with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Organizers confirmed that athlete quotas for each NOC will be determined based on athletes’ performance levels over the recent period. These quotas are expected to be announced in mid-April 2026, ahead of final entry confirmations in coordination with the Organizing Committee.
As part of the program, participants conducted site visits to several competition venues. A total of eight main sports facilities have been prepared across three locations—Dakar, Diamniadio, and Saly—reflecting the readiness of infrastructure in line with the highest organizational standards.
Amadou Makhtar Mbow University has been designated as the Youth Olympic Village and the Games Operations Center, due to its strategic location, proximity to competition venues, and ease of transportation between sites.
The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games are scheduled to take place from October 31 to November 13, 2026, with the participation of approximately 2,700 athletes representing more than 200 National Olympic Committees. Athletes have been selected from a pool of over 15,000 candidates to compete in 25 sports across more than 150 events.
This edition marks the first time the Youth Olympic Games will be held on the African continent, reflecting the Olympic Movement’s commitment to expanding global participation and strengthening youth engagement in sport.
Furthermore, coordination has been established with Senegalese embassies worldwide to support participating delegations and facilitate their preparations, ensuring that any potential challenges are addressed before and during the Games.
On the health and safety front, organizers emphasized the importance of conducting all necessary medical screenings for athletes prior to departure to Senegal, ensuring their fitness and readiness to compete.
