Barry Hendricks, President of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), aims to bring the 2036 or 2040 Olympic Games to South Africa. To achieve this, he is leveraging his national leadership and influence within the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA). His plan hinges on the success of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, a crucial first test to validate the continent’s organizational capacity.
At the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG), the South African team, led by President of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), Barry Hendricks, will be part of the global delegation of 2,700 young athletes aged 14 to 18. Elected in 2020 and re-elected in 2024, Barry Hendricks emphasized that hosting the YOG in Dakar from October 31 to November 13 represents a historic milestone, showcasing the African continent’s capacity to organize major Olympic events.
« We will, of course, participate in the Community Games in July, then we will have the Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, in October, and at the end of the year, the Southern African Sports Association Games in Mozambique. » So, you can see that there’s a lot of movement in the world of sport in Africa that directly affects South Africa.
Barry Hendricks, President of SASCOC – South Africa
Former athlete and prominent leader Barry Hendricks is drawing on his sporting expertise to champion South Africa’s bid for the 2036 or 2040 Olympic Games. The president of the South African Olympic Committee is counting on the technical success of the Dakar Youth Olympic Games to demonstrate the continent’s organizational capabilities. This success in Senegal will therefore serve as a showcase and crucial political leverage to legitimize the South African project with the International Olympic Committee.
We have done excellent work since the beginning of the year, and the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) is truly proud of the work being done every day, as it shows that we are a nation that is growing and evolving in the world of sport.
Barry Hendricks, President of SASCOC – South Africa
An active member of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), Barry Hendricks is establishing himself as the architect of the African sporting renaissance. His strategic roadmap is based on financial restructuring, social inclusion, and strengthening the continent’s international profile. Through this dual national and continental governance, he is unifying Africa to make it an essential power in world sport.
