NOC discusses Dakar Youth Olympic Games entry standards with federations

The Technical and Sports Affairs Department of the UAE National Olympic Committee (NOC) held a joint coordination meeting on Thursday at the committee’s headquarters in Dubai with representatives of relevant national sports federations.

The meeting focused on preparations for participation in the fourth edition of the Youth Olympic Games – Dakar 2026, which will feature 2,700 athletes competing in 151 events across 25 sports.

Ahmed Al Tayyeb, Director of the Technical and Sports Affairs Department at the NOC, delivered a comprehensive presentation outlining the participation requirements.

These included eligibility and qualification standards approved by the International Olympic Committee and the respective International Federations, along with timelines, age-specific technical criteria, international licensing, and qualification frameworks.

An open discussion followed, allowing federation representatives to raise questions and share observations. Key follow-up areas were identified to ensure optimal preparedness for this landmark Olympic event.

The sports programme for Dakar 2026 comprises 25 disciplines: swimming, athletics, boxing, rugby, basketball (3x3), equestrian, judo, taekwondo, fencing, archery, table tennis, badminton, sailing, rowing, wrestling, beach handball, beach volleyball, and triathlon.

During the meeting, participants discussed the detailed qualification criteria for each sport, with particular emphasis on the age requirement specifying that eligible athletes must be born between 2009 and 2010. Additional criteria were reviewed, such as the requirement for swimmers to appear in the World Aquatics rankings during the qualification window from February 1 2025 to May 1 2026.

For badminton, athletes must have participated in at least one event sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation or be listed in the BWF Junior World Rankings prior to the final athlete registration deadline of September 25, 2026.

The fourth Summer Youth Olympic Games will be held in Dakar, the capital of Senegal, marking the first time an African nation hosts an Olympic event. Dakar 2026 is set to be a transformative milestone, fostering development in sport, society, culture, education, and the economy—offering young athletes new opportunities, inspiration, and confidence in the future.

NOC attends International Athletes’ Forum in Lausanne: The UAE National Olympic Committee (NOC), represented by its Athletes’ Committee, participated in the 12th International Athletes’ Forum (IAF), held in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The delegation included Mohammed Al Nakhy and Aisha Jasem Al Ali, both members of the Athletes’ Committee. The International Athletes’ Forum is the world’s largest gathering of athlete representatives, organised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission.

The forum convened over 400 participants to address key issues affecting athletes, amplify their voices, and exchange ideas to strengthen the support provided by their respective athletes’ commissions.

The programme featured a series of plenary sessions and workshops through which participants explored the range of support available from the IOC, Olympic Solidarity, and Olympic partners worldwide.

Several sessions were moderated by Allyson Felix, an IOC Athletes’ Commission member and 11-time Olympic medallist, who led discussions with athletes benefiting from these support programmes.

The forum also included updates on major upcoming Olympic Games, including Milano Cortina 2026, Los Angeles 2028, the French Alps 2030, and Brisbane 2032. Members of the IOC Athletes’ Commission presented the latest developments for each edition, joined by representatives from Milano Cortina 2026 and Los Angeles 2028.

Throughout the forum, participants engaged in parallel skill-building workshops covering topics such as anti-doping, mental health and well-being, prevention of match manipulation, social media strategies for athletes’ commissions, sustainability, and effective commission governance.