Ten days before the start of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, Olympic athletes Kady Kanoute Tounkara, from Mali, and Khotso Mokoena, from South Africa, sent a message to the next generation about the importance of competing with integrity, respect and sportsmanship. Both highlighted that sporting success is not limited to results, but is also built on the decisions and values that guide every athlete both on and off the field of play.
The event, which will take place from October 31 to November 13, will bring together around 2,700 athletes aged 17 and under in Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly, becoming the first Olympic event to be held on African soil. Ahead of this milestone, the Believe in Sport initiative, led by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), will strengthen integrity education and efforts to prevent competition manipulation among participants.
Integrity as the foundation of fair competition
Kady Kanoute Tounkara, who represented Mali in Olympic basketball at Beijing 2008, emphasized the collective responsibility of athletes to protect clean competition. Drawing on her experience in elite sport, she recalled that fairness and respect require the commitment of every participant, and that results should come from talent, dedication and honest effort, without resorting to shortcuts that compromise the values of sport.
Addressing the young athletes preparing to compete in Dakar, the former basketball player said: “When you leave Dakar, I hope you carry with you the conviction that being a champion in life means choosing what is right over what is easy, and honouring Olympic values with an unwavering heart.” Her message encourages athletes to understand that fair play goes beyond following the rules: it means acting responsibly even when the pressure to achieve results puts their principles to the test.
Dakar 2026 reinforces education in sporting values
Khotso Mokoena, a four-time Olympian for South Africa and long jump silver medallist at Beijing 2008, stressed that respecting sport and fellow competitors is essential to building a sustainable career. The former athlete, who also competed at Athens 2004, London 2012 and Rio 2016, noted that integrity is reflected not only in how athletes compete, but also in the kind of person they become throughout their careers. He also highlighted the special significance of the Youth Olympic Games being held in Africa for the first time, offering an opportunity to share experiences and lessons with the next generation.
Mokoena and Kanoute Tounkara are part of the six-member Believe in Sport ambassador team that will engage with athletes and their teams during the Games. Through interactive activities at the Believe in Sport stand, located in the Athlete365 House in the Olympic Village, participants will learn how to identify and respond to risks related to competition manipulation. The team also includes Matelita Buadromo, from Fiji; Esra Gümüş Kırıcı, from Türkiye; Ayako Rokkaku, from Japan; and Arthur Zanetti, from Brazil. They will help bring integrity education to athletes from different sports and nationalities.
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