For decades, African athletes have traveled all over the world to take part in the Olympic Games. At the recent Tokyo Games, they took home gold, silver and bronze medals. And yet Africa has never hosted the Games, and some people are asking what it would take for the Olympics to be held on African soil.   In Kenya, thousands cheered on one of their favorite long-distance runners, Eliud Kipchoge, who won the gold medal in the men’s marathon. One Kipchoge fan had a special request for the government: Develop the country’s sports infrastructure.    FILE – Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya crosses the finish line to win gold in the men’s marathon at the Tokyo 2022 Olympics, in Sapporo, Japan, August 8, 2021.”We are very happy, all of us from Rift Valley and Kenyans as a whole. … [But we] just [want] to implore our leaders to address the issue of stadiums. … The Kipchoge Keino Stadium is dilapidated. And today, Kipchoge has shown the world that we are more than capable,” said Mandela Kiplimo, a resident of Eldoret, about 40 kilometers from the Olympic champion’s hometown of Kapsisiywa. Having subpar sports facilities that don’t meet international norms is one of the biggest challenges for countries that want to host the Olympic Games. For many of them, it’s just too expensive, said Smith College economics professor Andrew Zimbalist, who edited the book Rio 2016: Olympic Myths, Hard Realities.  “You might read, for instance, that in Tokyo they spent roughly $15 billion, or that in Brazil or Rio 2016 they spent $12 to $15 billion. But the real numbers in Tokyo are above $35 billion, and the real numbers in Rio are above $20 billion,” Zimbalist told VOA. Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can
FILE – President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach waves the Olympic flag in the Handover Ceremony during the Closing Ceremony during the Youth Olympic Games, Buenos Aires, Argentina, October 18, 2018.While Senegalese officials say they are excited and honored to make history as the first African country to host the YOG, they also understand the responsibility that comes with it.  “There are expectations from the whole African continent, and Senegal has to organize games that would live up to the standards of previous Youth Olympics. And because of that, Senegal is going to make sure it’s a success and serves as a catalyst for mobilizing and engaging Senegalese youth in particular, and African youth in general,” Babacar Makhtar Wade, president of the Senegal Judo Federation, told VOA. Wade, who is also treasurer of the Senegal National Olympic and Sports Committee, said renovation plans are well under way.  “We are planning to first renovate three main venues — the Iba Mar Diop Stadium, which will host track, rugby and other sports. There’s also our Olympic pool, which needs to be renovated. It has an adjacent park, which will host a few events such as the BMX freestyle, basketball 3 on 3 and hockey games. And there is also the Caserne Samba Diery Diallo, where the equestrian-related activities will take place,” he said.  There will also be venues in hubs outside Dakar including a popular seaside resort that will host beach volleyball, boating and other events, and Diamniadio, site of a new 50,000-seat multipurpose stadium and other facilities. President Macky Sall said at last year’s groundbreaking ceremony that the stadium will be available for future local and international competitions. VOA French to Africa Service’s Seydina Aba Gueye contributed to this report.  
 
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