Sebastian Coe spoke to several African journalists to share his vision as a candidate for the IOC presidency. The president of World Athletics, like David Lappartient, affirmed his desire to work in favor of the organization of a first edition of the Olympic and Paralympic Games on the continent. “Africa has never hosted the Olympic Games, but we must change that. The potential is enormous here. With the right investments and infrastructure, we could see Africa become the heart of world sport », he believes with My Joy Online. In this perspective, « Senegal is an important part of Africa's journey towards hosting the Olympic Games. The Youth Olympic Games are a fantastic way to increase the footprint of the Olympic movement here and inspire the next generation of athletes.”The YOG will take place in Dakar and its surroundings from 31 October to 13 November 2026. A meeting that should serve as a springboard for African sport. Sebastian Coe also shared some ideas during this exchange: relying on artificial intelligence to help Africa exploit its full potential, think about “a more collaborative approach” to open the organization of the Games to more candidates and to help athletes to develop their income for "so they can concentrate on their sport".
