Youth Olympics" Sports Minister Li Yang conferred flags to encourage the new generation of Taiwanese sports to go to Dhaka, West Africa

Li Yang (from left) presented the food bonus, which was received by representatives from five-a-side baseball Zhang Wenting and track and field Wang Chengyu. (Provided by the Chinese Olympic Games)

[Reporter Liang Weiming/Taipei Report] The Chinese Olympic Committee held the "Flag Presentation Ceremony and Pre-departure Seminar for Representatives of the 4th Dhaka Youth Olympic Games 2026" at the Sports Joint Office Building today. Sports Minister Li Yang presented the flag to Chinese Olympic Chairman and delegation leader Cai Jiafu. Cai Jiafu then presented the flag to the delegation general leader Chen Meiyan to cheer for the young athletes and team staff who are about to make their first expedition to Dhaka, West Africa.

Li Yang, who just returned to Taiwan from the Nagoya Asian Games, encouraged my country's new generation to keep up their efforts and seize the opportunity to strive for success in the unfamiliar and distant Africa. He also awarded the delegation with a food bonus, which was received by representatives from five-a-side baseball Zhang Wenting and track and field Wang Chengyu. The Dhaka Youth Olympic Games will be held in the capital of Senegal from October 31 to November 13. It will be the first time that an Olympic event will be held in Africa. This year's Chinese delegation has 37 athletes, participating in 17 sports competitions including swimming, archery, track and field, badminton, five-a-side baseball, women's basketball 3X3, boxing, break dancing, free cycling, fencing, judo, sailing, skateboarding, table tennis, taekwondo, triathlon and martial arts. Including coaches and team staff, the delegation has a total of 82 people.

Cai Jiafu gave three words to the players: "Take care of yourself, stick to your principles, and enjoy the stage." He hoped that the players would take care of their physical and mental conditions, abide by competition regulations and sports integrity, bravely show off their training results, and cherish the opportunity to communicate with young players from all over the world. In order to take into account the local climate, disease risks and medical environment, multiple medical protection work meetings for the delegation have been held before the departure of the Chinese Olympic Games. The Department of Disease Control and Prevention of the Ministry of Health and Welfare has also specially sent epidemic prevention doctors to participate in the delegation's epidemic prevention planning throughout the entire process.

This delegation will dispatch three team doctors, eight sports protectors and physical therapists. With the professional advice of the doctors, the delegation will hold two levels of vaccination and explanation meetings in advance to explain the local environment and precautions to the players and parents in detail. With the assistance of National Taiwan University Hospital, four vaccinations and epidemic prevention health education for yellow fever, hepatitis A, meningitis and influenza will be arranged. For malaria prevention, health education and preventive medication guidance will be provided based on medical professional assessment.