Refugee Youth Olympic Team Arrives in Senegal Ahead of Historic Dakar 2026 Debut.
DAKAR 2026 Uganda’s Game Connect athletes Florence Masembe and Rachid Rochene are among six young refugee athletes set to make history as the first Refugee Olympic Team to compete at the Youth Olympic Games.
The Refugee Youth Olympic Team has arrived in Senegal ahead of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, marking a historic moment for the Olympic Movement and young refugees across the world.
The six-member squad, officially known as the Refugee Olympic Team (EOR), will make its debut at the fourth edition of the Youth Olympic Games, which will also be the first Olympic sporting event to be hosted on African soil.
The team comprises three female and three male athletes, all based in Africa, who will compete in athletics, judo and taekwondo. Their participation provides an important platform to showcase the talent, determination and potential of young people affected by displacement.
Uganda represented through Game Connect
Uganda has a special connection to this historic milestone, with two athletes from the Olympic Refuge Foundation-funded Game Connect programme earning places on the team.
Florence Masembe will compete in the Women’s 200m, while Rachid Rochene will represent the team in the Men’s 200m.
Both athletes are Uganda-based refugees who developed their sporting talents through opportunities created by Game Connect, a programme that uses sport to promote inclusion, build life skills and empower young people from refugee and host communities.
Their selection marks an important achievement for the programme, demonstrating how community-based sports initiatives can create pathways for talented young athletes to progress to elite international competition.
It is also the first time athletes identified through the Olympic Refuge Foundation’s community programme in Uganda have progressed to the international elite pathway through the Refugee Athlete Support programme, supported by Olympic Solidarity.
A team representing millions
Beyond competing for medals, the Refugee Youth Olympic Team carries a wider message of hope, resilience, solidarity and inclusion.
Its participation draws attention to the challenges faced by millions of displaced people worldwide while demonstrating how sport can create opportunities, restore a sense of belonging and inspire young people to pursue their dreams regardless of their circumstances.
The team is managed by the Olympic Refuge Foundation, with support from the International Olympic Committee, the National Olympic Committees of Uganda and Kenya, World Athletics and UNHCR.
The athletes were also brought together for a preparatory training camp in Kaptagat, Kenya, where they built team cohesion, undertook physical preparations and participated in mentoring sessions with two-time Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge.
The team is led by Yiech Pur Biel, a former member of the first Refugee Olympic Team at Rio 2016 and an IOC Member, who serves as its Chef de Mission.
Dakar 2026: A historic stage for young athletes
The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games run from 31 October to 13 November 2026, bringing together approximately 2,700 young athletes from around the world across three host zones: Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly.
As the first Olympic sporting event on African soil, the Games offer a significant opportunity to celebrate African sport, promote cultural exchange and inspire the next generation of athletes.
For Florence Masembe and Rachid Rochene, the occasion represents more than an opportunity to compete. It is a chance to showcase their abilities, represent millions of young refugees and demonstrate the transformative power of sport.
Their journey from the Game Connect project in Uganda to the Olympic stage in Senegal is a powerful reminder that talent and ambition can thrive when young people are allowed to participate, develop, and succeed.
