YOUTH OLYMPICS POSTPONED UNTIL 2026

Senegal and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have mutually agreed to postpone the Youth Olympic Games at Dakar 2022 to 2026.

The postponement of Dakar 2022 allows the IOC, the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and the International Federations (IFs)  to better plan their activities, which have been strongly affected by the postponement of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, by the subsequent postponements of major international sports events, and by the operational and financial consequences of the global health crisis.

IOC President Thomas Bach said: “This amicable agreement illustrates the mutual trust between Senegal and the IOC. I would like to express my sincere thanks to President Macky Sall, a great friend and supporter of the Olympic Movement, for this exceptional relationship of trust and quality.
For all these reasons, I am sure that, together, we will organise fantastic Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026 for Senegal, the  entire African continent
and all the young athletes of the world.”

Irish boxing has competed at the last three Youth Olympics, with Ryan Burnett (Gold), Ciara Ginty (Silver), Michael Gallagher (Bronze) and Dearbhla Rooney (Bronze) finishing in podium positions at the 2010,2014 and 2018 editions of the Games.

Burnett won light-flyweight gold at the inaugural Games in Singapore in 2010 and donated his Irish vest to a sports centre in the city after his historic win.