Senegal’s public procurement regulator, ARCOP, has annulled a bidding process for the ceremonies of the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar due to serious irregularities. The decision, made on May 6, 2026, followed a challenge by Leap Creative Studio, which protested its rejection from the bidding. ARCOP found a major legal flaw in the process initiated by the Dakar 2026 Olympic Games Organizing Committee (COJOJ). Specifically, the call for proposals lacked clear, measurable criteria for objectively evaluating bids. Four candidates initially qualified after scoring above a 75-point threshold, but Leap Creative Studio was later excluded from two lots. ARCOP suspended the process on April 1st and ultimately ruled the procedure non-compliant with public procurement regulations, effectively restarting the bidding for the ceremonies. This ruling casts a shadow over preparations for the games.