IOC picks Senegal as 1st African host for Youth Olympics

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — The IOC has picked its first African host of any Olympics, awarding the 2022 Youth Games to Senegal.

Senegal President Macky Sall was present Monday to see International Olympic Committee confirm the executive board's preference from last month.

Senegal will host the youth games in three places: Dakar; a new city of Diamniadio, close to the capital; and the coastal resort of Saly.

Sall says the government-backed project will build a 50,000-seat Olympic Stadium.

The IOC says the games will be held in May or June, at the end of the dry season to "greatly reduce the prevalence of tropical diseases."

The other bidders were Botswana, Nigeria and Tunisia.

The decision was taken on the sidelines of the Buenos Aires Youth Olympics.

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