Refugee athlete to compete at Dakar Youth Games
Arno Yafunga Botay will represent the Refugee Olympic Team in judo at the 2026 games.
Arno Yafunga Botay, a 15-year-old judoka, will compete for the Refugee Olympic Team at the Dakar 2026 Youth Games. He qualified for the under-55kg category after trials in East Africa. This marks the first time a refugee team will participate in the Youth Games.
Botay, who fled the Democratic Republic of Congo with his family at age six, was surprised by his selection. "I didn't expect to be selected," he told BBC Sport Africa, adding, "I was so excited. I was crying tears of joy." His father, Arnold, also practised judo and taught him the sport.
Botay stated that representing other refugees and his community at the games means a great deal to him. His family settled in Nairobi after living in the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, following threats to his father's life and an attack on their home.
Why it mattersRefugee athletes will compete in judo at the Dakar 2026 Youth Games, offering representation to displaced communities.