The 2025-2026 Special Olympics Senegal season kicked off this weekend at the Léopold Sédar Senghor Stadium. Nearly 460 athletes, accompanied by 70 parents, took part in the ceremony marking the start of a new sporting year focused on performance and inclusion.

“It’s a new season, which is why we held this official launch at the Léopold Senghor stadium. We have brought together 460 athletes and 70 parents who came to support them for the opening of the season,” explained Assane Thiam, sports director of Special Olympics Senegal.

For several years, this non-profit organization has been working to promote the inclusion of children and young people with intellectual disabilities through sports. For this new season, organizers are focusing on the quality of training and improving the athletes' performance.

“This year, we are focusing on performance to have a quality season. We are launching this season with a view to the World Games in Santiago scheduled for 2027 in Chile. It is a competition that takes place every four years, so the preparation must start very early,” Mr. Thiam explained.

Senegal intends to defend its colors in this competition in several disciplines, including football, basketball, swimming, horse riding and dance sport.

For Assane Thiam, the performances of Special Olympics Senegal symbolize much more than sporting success. They represent a shift in perspective on intellectual disability. "We have clear goals for these young people who were once thought to be confined to their homes. Today, they are prepared to be champions," he proudly emphasized.

The start of the 2025-2026 season thus marks the beginning of a hopeful adventure for these exceptional athletes, bearers of the values of courage, self-improvement and inclusion that are the strength of the Special Olympics movement.