Humphrey Kayange, a former Kenya Sevens captain has been named as the Chair of the Coordination Commission for the fourth Summer Youth Olympic Games (YOG) to be held in Dakar, Senegal in 2026.

The appointment was made by Thomas Bach, the outgoing International Olympic Committee president at the request of President-elect Kirsty Coventry who stepped down as the chair of the commission after her election as IOC president in March. A press statement by the IOC said Kayange, who has been an IOC Member and Athletes’ Commission member since 2021 has  been a member of the Coordination Commission for Dakar 2026 since 2022.

Therefore, his appointment ensured continuation of his role in the YOG. Additionally, Kayange is also on the executive committee of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) as well as serving in other leadership positions in sports administration including Chair of the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) Athletes’ Commission, Executive Board member of the Kenya Academy of Sports and also the Kenya Rugby Union.

Support the YOG

According to the statement, Kayange will lead the efforts to support the YOG in the planning and delivery of the YOG in Dakar. This shall involve working with participating National Olympic Committees, International Federations, Olympic Movement stakeholders and local authorities. Ultimately, the result would be crucial to delivering the first Olympic sporting event to be hosted on the African continent.

Kayange’s fist assignment will be to chair the Coordination Commission meeting in Dakar, Senegal on May 7 and 8 immediately after attending the Los Angeles Sevens, the last event of the World Rugby Sevens World Series this season. The meeting in Dakar will also be attended by Coventry, the IOC President-elect.

My Vision

He gave an early insight about the position by saying: “My vision is driven by empowering young athletes. I’m honored to serve the Olympic movement and help provide a platform for young people to pursue excellence. Dakar 2026 will unite young athletes from around the world, celebrating African innovation and the Olympic spirit.”

In his remarkable career as an athlete, Kayange was also instrumental in the pust that led rugby to be readmitted as an Olympic Sport in 2016.