Kenya rugby legend and former Kenya Sevens captain Humphrey Kayange has been appointed Chair of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Coordination Commission for the 4th Summer Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Dakar 2026.

The appointment was made by IOC President Thomas Bach, following a request from President-elect Kirsty Coventry, who stepped down as Chair after her election as IOC President in March.

Kayange’s sporting pedigree is exceptional: he captained Kenya’s rugby sevens team, led them to victory at the Singapore Sevens in 2016, and represented Kenya at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

His leadership and achievements on the field earned him global recognition, including induction into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2023.

Beyond his playing career, Kayange has held significant roles in sports administration. He has served as a member of the IOC Athletes’ Commission since 2021, been part of the Dakar 2026 Coordination Commission since 2022, and sits on the Executive Committee of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). He also chairs the Kenyan NOC Athletes’ Commission and is an Executive Board member of both the Kenya Academy of Sports and the Kenya Rugby Union.

As Chair of the Coordination Commission, Kayange will oversee preparations for Dakar 2026, the first Olympic event to be held on African soil.

He will work closely with the Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (YOGOC), National Olympic Committees, International Federations, and local authorities to ensure the Games’ successful delivery.

His vision, as he stated, is “driven by empowering young athletes,” aiming to provide a platform for youth to pursue excellence and celebrate African innovation and the Olympic spirit.

Kayange will chair the upcoming Coordination Commission meeting in Dakar on 7–8 May, which will also be attended by the IOC President-elect.

The YOG Dakar 2026 will take place from 31 October, bringing together the world’s top athletes aged up to 17 years across three sites: Dakar, Diamniadio, and Saly.