India takes big step to host 2036 Olympics

New Delhi: India has submitted a 'Letter of Intent', expressing its desire to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games, to the International Olympic Committee's Future Host Commission, taking the first concrete step in an ambitious plan after months of informal dialogue with the IOC. The letter was submitted by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on October 1, according to a source in the sports ministry. "This monumental opportunity could bring substantial benefits, fostering economic growth, social progress, and youth empowerment across the country," the source added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi first talked about his government's aspiration to host the 2036 Olympics last year. A decision on the host will not be taken before the IOC elections next year and India will also have to face competition from several other nations like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, who are positioning themselves as strong contenders to host the sporting spectacle.

However, with the submission of a ‘Letter of Intent’, the nation has progressed from “Informal Dialogue” to the “Continuous Dialogue” stage of the host election process. In this stage, the IOC conducts a “feasibility study” of the progress of projects associated with the Games in the potential host.

“As part of the Feasibility Assessment, independent sources in a wide-ranging number of areas are taken into consideration, including human rights, through Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), and sustainability, through the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN),” the IOC states on its official website. The next phase of the process would be “Targetted Dialogue”, which would require the submission of an edition-specific formal bid, which would be assessed by the Future Host Commission. The process would finally end with a host election. India’s plan has been backed by current IOC head Thomas Bach. The last time India hosted an international multi-sport extravaganza was the 2010 Commonwealth Games here. But for the 2036 Olympics, Ahmedabad is seen as a front-runner to be the host city. India’s top sports administrators, including IOA President PT Usha, were at the Paris Olympics earlier this year to lobby for the country.

It is also learnt that India would be pushing for the inclusion of indigenous disciplines like yoga, kho kho and kabaddi if the bid is successful. The Sports Authority of India’s Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) has even presented a detailed report on the measures needed for a successful bid to new sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya. In this document, MOC has identified six disciplines, including yoga, kho kho, kabaddi, chess, T20 cricket and squash for inclusion in the Games if the country gets to host the quadrennial extravaganza. However, the IOA is also mired in controversy owing to a tug of war between Usha and the body’s Executive Council, which has steadfastly refused to ratify the appointment of her choice for the CEO’s position, Raghuram Iyer.