Youth Refugee Olympic Team Gears Up for Dakar 2026

• The first-ever Youth Refugee Olympic Team will compete at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, scheduled for October 31 to November 13, 2026.
• Six athletes are currently undergoing joint training at the Complete Sports Athletics Training Centre in Kaptagat, Kenya.

Team Roster and Disciplines

• Rachid Rechene: Men’s 200-metre sprint
• Florence Masimbi: Sprint events
• Clement Niyomuhoza: 800 metres (team captain)
• Nyataba Kuek: 800 metres
• Arno Yfunga: Judo
• Lourance Namukiza: Taekwondo

Context and Significance

• The initiative builds on the IOC's establishment of the first Refugee Olympic Team in 2015 and the ongoing work of the Olympic Refuge Foundation.
• Dakar 2026 marks the first time the refugee team concept has been introduced to the Youth Olympic Games.
• The event, which will be the first Youth Olympic Games hosted in Africa, provides an opportunity for displaced youth to showcase their talents beyond their circumstances.