Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur has said India will bid for hosting the 2036 Olympics and a roadmap for it will be presented during next year’s International Olympic Committee (IOC) session in Mumbai. Ahmedabad is the prime candidate to host the multi-sport spectacle with Thakur saying that this is the right time to pitch for an event of this magnitude.
“If India can host the G20 Presidency in such a big way, I am sure the government will be able to pitch in to host the Olympics in the country along with the IOA. We all know that the slots are booked till the year 2032. But 2036 onwards, we have hopes and I am sure India will fully prepare and bid for the Olympics,” Thakur told The Times of India.
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Thakur further added that the country is ‘seriously’ looking to host the quadrennial sporting event in 2036.
“Yes, India is ready to positively bid for it. There is no reason for us to say ‘No’. If India is putting in so much effort to promote sports, I can assure you that we will not only host the Olympics, we will host it in a big way. This is the right time to host the Games. If India is making news in every sector from manufacturing to services, then why not in the field of sports? India is looking very seriously at bidding for the 2036 Olympics,” he said.
The hosting rights for the next three Summer Games have already been awarded to Paris, Los Angeles and Brisbane.
“Yes, we can present the roadmap to them (IOC members) by that time (September 2023). The IOC Session is a prestigious event for India and whatever steps have to be taken to bid along with the IOA, the government will support them. It has to be a joint preparation,” Thakur said.
Should India’s bid be successful, it will become only the fourth Asian country to host the Games after Japan, South Korea and China.
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Several other nations have announced their intention to bid including Indonesia, South Korea and Qatar.
India previously hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2010 but the event was marred by widespread accusations of corruption and mismanagement.
With AFP inputs
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