Mosquitoes, no ACs: Indian athlete flags poor conditions at Dakar Youth Olympics - Report

Badminton event at Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games will begin from November 1

Indian athletes’ ordeals at major competitions outside the country doesn’t look to be ending anytime soon. After the accommodation and travel fiasco at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, fresh troubles appear to have surfaced at the Youth Olympics 2026 in Dakar, Senegal.

As per a report in the Times of India, air-conditioners have not been provided despite high temperatures in the region, while athletes have also complained of mosquitoes in rooms posing challenges in preparation for matches.

Fifteen-year-old Tanvi Patri, who will represent India in badminton at the Youth Olympic Games, has spoken about the challenges at the event.

The report quotes Tanvi’s father Rabinarayan saying that despite the hot conditions, ACs are not being provided and that athletes are having to manage with just fans.

“It’s very hot and there are lots of mosquitoes here. Also, since air-conditioners are not being provided, the athletes have to manage with just fans, which isn’t very helpful,” Rabinarayan was quoted as saying.

Tanvi, who arrives at the Youth Olympics after a round of 16 exit at the Junior World Championships, has been drawn in Group F of the marquee youth tournament. Tanvi’s father believes that she will put her best put forward and display a gritty performance despite the odds stacked against her.

“If you look at her performances in the last few tournaments, she has shown that she can compete at a high level even under difficult circumstances. Hopefully, things will continue to improve, and she will be able to give her best at the Youth Olympics,” he said.

Tanvi has been pitted against Australia’s Smrithi Adepu, Mexico’s Sara Patricia Delgado Gonzalez and South Korea’s Jang Yu Jeong in the group stage of the Youth Olympic Games.

Her father further asserted confidence in her, saying that she will use her valuable experiences from the previous tournaments to the fore.

“There is no pressure as such. She has already played many high-level tournaments. If you look at events in Singapore, Indonesia and other major competitions, those were in many ways tougher than this event,” said Rabinarayan in the report.

“She has gained valuable experience from competing against strong international players, so she knows how to handle big occasions.”

Incidentally, she fell ill at the World Junior Championships in Egypt, which was held in October. Her father believes that she could face a challenge at the Youth Olympic Games in the semi-finals against a Japanese opponent.

Notably, she could face a threat from China’s Zhang Yixin, the girls’ singles champion at the 2026 BWF World Junior Championships, if she manages to reach the final.

To her credit, Tanvi has already proven her prowess by winning the Asian U-17 tournament besides delivering success at the senior nationals, earlier this year.

Now, with the Youth Olympic Games gold medal in her sight, she will be hoping to beat the odds.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram