Taina Basiyalo 
[Photo: Olympics]
Fiji’s Matelita Buadromo has been named one of six International Olympic Committee Believe in Sport Ambassadors for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
Buadromo is the only ambassador from Oceania, earning recognition for her continued work in the fight against competition manipulation.
The IOC’s Believe in Sport campaign aims to protect the integrity of sport by raising awareness of competition manipulation, where athletes deliberately underperform or lose, or officials intentionally make incorrect decisions.
In Dakar, Buadromo and the other ambassadors will engage with young athletes, coaches and families, helping them understand how competition manipulation can happen and where it can be reported.
A two-time Olympian, Buadromo represented Fiji at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games and has been involved in efforts against competition
manipulation since 2022.
Her ambassador role will continue beyond Dakar, with the programme also covering the 2027 Pacific Games in Tahiti and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
“The beauty of sport is its unpredictability and fairness.”
Around 2,700 young athletes are expected to compete at Dakar 2026 from 31 October to 13 November, marking the first Olympic sports event to be held on African soil.
