In a major setback for India’s hopes of winning medals, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has decided that shooting, weightlifting, and hockey will not be medal events at the 2026 Youth Olympics in Dakar, Senegal. These sports have been moved to a special program called the “engagement programme,” which means they won’t award medals.
At the last Youth Olympics in 2018, held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, India won 13 medals, including 4 from shooting and 2 from hockey. Manu Bhaker, a talented young shooter from India, won one gold and one silver medal in shooting events.
The IOC announced this change on December 3, confirming that the youth games will take place from October 31 to November 13, 2026. The games are for young athletes aged 15 to 18.
Out of 35 sports, 25 will award medals, while 10 sports will be included in the engagement programme. The 25 sports that will offer medals include athletics, swimming, basketball, and many more.
This year, for the first time, there will be equal opportunities for boys and girls in every event, with a total of 151 events planned — down from 241 in the previous games. The total number of athletes expected is 2,700.
Originally, the 2026 Youth Olympics were scheduled for 2022, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they were postponed. The games will be held in three locations in Senegal: Dakar, Diamniadio, and Saly.
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