WADA is running athlete outreach at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics in cooperation with the International Testing Agency. Vietnam’s sports authority reported that the team plans to remain in Senegal until the event ends on 13 November, meeting competitors and their support personnel.
Information and an athlete voice
The programme aims to introduce anti-doping responsibilities early in athletes’ careers while listening to their practical experiences. WADA joined the Games’ athlete-education activities following an invitation from the International Olympic Committee.
Dora Hegyi, a former Hungarian rhythmic gymnast and vice-chair of WADA’s Athlete Council, described the engagement as preparation for responsibilities at elite level. She also highlighted the opportunity to explain the council’s work and give athletes a substantive voice in protecting fair competition.
Those are educational objectives. Attendance at outreach activities does not establish that every competitor has completed a certification, and the programme is not an announcement of violations or sanctions.
Experience across sports
The team includes former Swedish biathlete Mona Brorsson, former Peru volleyball international Susan Egoávil and Mozambican Olympic judoka Edson Marcelo Da Silva Madeira. WADA staff Stacy Spletzer-Jegen and Nathalie Bakome are also involved.
African office director Rodney Swigelaar emphasised exchanges led by athletes. The report noted a visit by IOC president Kirsty Coventry, who previously served on WADA’s Athlete Committee from 2014 to 2021.
With about 2,650 competitors aged 14–17 and more than 1,400 support personnel at the Games, the programme has a broad audience. Its next task through 13 November is to continue conversations and gather feedback linking clean-sport education to participants’ actual questions.