Senegal to become Africa's first Olympic host
October 9, 2018
Senegal's President Macky Sall was in Buenos Aires to see IOC members confirm the executive board's preference for his country over the other three candidates.
The youth games will be held in three places: Dakar; a new city of Diamniadio, close to the capital; and the coastal resort of Saly.
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Sall said the government-backed project will build a 50,000-seat Olympic Stadium for the event which will held in May or June, at the end of the dry season, to "greatly reduce the prevalence of tropical diseases," IOC vice president Ugur Erdener told the membership.
Erdener flagged up Senegal's "booming economy" and better conditions than the other bidders from Botswana, Nigeria and Tunisia as a major reason for its success.
"It is not required to have a detailed budget at this stage," Erdener said, though he also noted that Senegal's government has "full understanding of the magnitude" of its task.
One IOC member from Africa said the whole continent would share the responsibility of its first Olympics, comparing it to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
"In Africa, when a family organizes a party all the neighbors chip in and they help to organize the event," said Lydia Nsekera of Burundi, who also sits on FIFA's ruling council.
mp/mf (AP/DPA)