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From office cleaner to Olympic co-ordinator: the remarkable story of Senegal’s Sokhna Dia

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    • Title From office cleaner to Olympic co-ordinator: the remarkable story of Senegal’s Sokhna Dia
    • Publication Date 26th February 2026
    • Languages FR
    • Location Dakar, Senegal
    • Press Release https://www.olympics.com/ioc/news/dakar-2026-learning-academy-officially-launches-with-first-cohort-of-young-professionals
    • Description

      Sokhna Dia was on her way to her job as a cleaner at the Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (YOGOC) offices when she received a call that changed her life: her application to join the Dakar 2026 Learning Academy had been successful. Sokhna, 25, had been struggling to find work when she accepted a job as a cleaner for YOGOC. Little did she know the path it would lead her on and now she is part of the team preparing to host the first-ever Olympic Games to be hosted in Africa - Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG). The Dakar 2026 Learning Academy is a new flagship legacy initiative designed to recruit and train over 400 young professionals in Games delivery. The training programme marks a key step in building local expertise ahead of the YOG and ensuring a strong human legacy.

    • Games Edition Dakar 2026 (YOG)
    • Sport
    • Discipline
    • Event
    • Keywords
    • Expiration Date
    • Copyright

      © 2026 International Olympic Committee - All Rights Reserved. IOC Newsroom video news releases (IOC-VNRs) are the exclusive property of the IOC. They are made available to you for bona fide news reporting purposes only and all rights required for their production have been cleared. Terms and conditions of the IOC Newsroom and Olympics.com apply.

    Additional media

    • Media 6843

      IOC VNR Sokhna Dia Dakar2026 Learning Academy (video)

    • Media 6845

      Story Script & Shotlist (document)

    • Media 6846

      IOC VNR Dakar En Jeux Fesitval 2025 Action (video)

    • Media 6847

      Final Docs Dakar 2026 Preview (document)

    Additional Media

    • Media 6843

      IOC VNR Sokhna Dia Dakar2026 Learning Academy (video)

    • Media 6845

      Story Script & Shotlist (document)

    • Media 6846

      IOC VNR Dakar En Jeux Fesitval 2025 Action (video)

    • Media 6847

      Final Docs Dakar 2026 Preview (document)

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