Joj 2026: Bira Sène relies on beach wrestling to hit hard

Less than two months before the “Dakar 2026” Youth Olympic Games (YOG), the president of the Senegalese Wrestling Federation (FSL), Bira Sène, calls on stakeholders to take up the challenge of participation. It focuses in particular on the training of technicians and the development of beach wrestling to enable Senegal to shine on the international scene.

After the organizational challenge, which Senegal is preparing to take on at all costs, the country must also succeed in participating in the “Dakar 2026” Olympic Games. This is the message launched by Bira Sène on the occasion of the closing of the training seminar for combat technicians (August 29-September 6, 2026). For the sports manager, the challenge is to demonstrate performance, which necessarily requires the quality of technical supervision. “I can say that we have already taken up the challenge of organizing the Joj, but we must also take up the challenge of participation. This means that we must perform well,” he stressed. In his eyes, this performance is closely linked to the competence of the technicians responsible for administering, organizing, regulating and supervising sports practice. Hence the importance of continuing training. The seminar allowed Senegalese technicians to exchange with international experts and strengthen their knowledge. “Education begins from birth. As soon as we stop learning, we must stop our activity,” recalled Bira Sène.

The beach wrestling bet

This training must now be translated into the field. The technicians will notably have a supervisory role during the YOG and must anticipate the demands of the competition. A preparation phase is also planned in Saly, the site chosen for the beach wrestling competitions, to allow athletes to acclimatize to competition conditions. Bira Sène welcomed the contribution of the international experts who participated in the seminar, in particular Célestin and Vincent Aka, as well as the support of the World Wrestling Federation. He also highlighted the ties of friendship and cooperation between the Senegalese, Romanian and Cape Verdean peoples.

Beyond the Joj, the president of the FSL sees beach wrestling as a real opportunity for Senegal and, more broadly, for Africa. “Beach wrestling must be our hobby, we Senegalese,” he said. According to him, the tradition of sand wrestling is an asset, even if it differs from beach wrestling. In his eyes, Senegalese wrestlers already have certain skills that can be valued in this discipline. The objective is to improve supervision and practice in order to create champions capable of establishing themselves at world level.

Bira Sène considers that the gradual entry of beach wrestling into the Olympic world opens up new perspectives. The “Dakar 2026” Joj constitute, according to him, a strong signal. He thus calls on African countries with a tradition of sand wrestling to demonstrate their ability to perform in this discipline, with the ambition of taking a new step towards broader Olympic recognition.

Abdoulaye DEMBELÉ