PARIS - The 2022 Summer Youth Olympic Games, which is scheduled to take place in Dakar, Senegal from October 22 to November 9, 2022, will be postponed to 2026, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach confirmed on Wednesday.

"President Macky Sall's proposal was welcomed by IOC President Thomas Bach, following in-depth discussions on the subject. This postponement meets the requirement of responsibility and the concern for efficiency imposed by current circumstances," a statement from IOC said.

The agreement has been approved on Wednesday by the IOC Executive Board, and will be submitted to the IOC session for ratification on Friday.

"This amicable agreement illustrates the mutual trust between Senegal and the IOC," Bach said, "I am sure that, together, we will organize fantastic Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026 for Senegal, the entire African continent and all the young athletes of the world."

The sports world has been hit hardly by the COVID-19 since earlier this year, as the Tokyo Olympic Games, with many other sports events, have been postponed or abandoned.

IOC said that the postponement of Dakar 2022 will allow the IOC, the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and the International Federations (IFs) to plan their activities better, and allow Senegal to carry on the excellent preparations for the Youth Olympic Games.