The Senegalese Wrestling Federation and the French Wrestling Federation and Associated Disciplines have signed a partnership agreement to strengthen cooperation in wrestling. The agreement was signed on September 23, 2026, at the Senegalese Embassy in Paris. The ceremony was attended by the Senegalese Ambassador to France and several sports personalities. The French delegation was led by Lise Legrand, President of the French Wrestling Federation.
The partnership aims to develop concrete cooperation between the two federations, particularly in the areas of training, technical supervision, and preparation for international competitions. The areas of collaboration include training for technical officials, organization of training camps, exchanges between athletes, and sharing of experiences in sports organization and development. This cooperation is expected to contribute to the modernization of Senegalese wrestling and its international recognition.
For the Senegalese Wrestling Federation, this agreement comes at a time when the discipline is seeking to modernize and strengthen its presence on the international stage. The President of the Senegalese Wrestling Federation, Bira Sène, emphasized that the objective is to make Senegalese wrestling a more structured, efficient, and globally open discipline. The cooperation with the French federation is expected to contribute to the development of Olympic wrestling and Beach Wrestling.
The partnership is also expected to benefit the youth, with both federations aiming to make this convention a framework for sustainable collaboration, with concrete actions for athletes, coaches, referees, and technical officials. Bira Sène insisted on the need to go beyond the formal framework of the agreement, stating that the partnership should be a living partnership that translates into concrete and sustainable actions.
This cooperation is taking place in the context of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, which Senegal is set to host. For Senegalese officials, partnering with experienced partners in Olympic disciplines is an opportunity to strengthen national competencies and support young talents. The partnership between the two federations demonstrates their commitment to making sports a lever for rapprochement between Senegal and France.
The partnership agreement was signed in the presence of several personalities, including Sylvain Chevrel, representative of the French Ministry of Sports' foreign affairs mission, Didier Sauvaire, President of the Union of Francophone Wrestling Federations, and Daniel Zelenski, Ministerial Delegate for Francophone Sports. The agreement is expected to promote performance, expertise sharing, and transmission to new generations.
The cooperation between Senegal and France in wrestling is expected to have a positive impact on the development of the sport in Senegal. The partnership will provide opportunities for Senegalese athletes, coaches, and officials to gain international experience and expertise. This will contribute to the growth of wrestling in Senegal and its recognition on the international stage.
Key points
- The partnership aims to strengthen technical exchanges, training, and athlete preparation in wrestling between Senegal and France.
- The cooperation is expected to contribute to the modernization of Senegalese wrestling and its international recognition.
- The partnership will provide opportunities for Senegalese athletes, coaches, and officials to gain international experience and expertise.
