The milestone announcement came after a crucial meeting between an Indian delegation and officials of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the organisation’s headquarters in Lausanne on Tuesday
Photo: AFP
Ahmedabad has, for the first time, been formally designated as the host city in India’s campaign to host a future edition of the Olympic Games. The milestone announcement came after a crucial meeting between an Indian delegation and officials of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the organisation’s headquarters in Lausanne on Tuesday.
This significant development emerges just days after new IOC president Kirsty Coventry announced a pause on the host selection process for upcoming Olympic Games. With Brisbane already locked in as host for the 2032 Summer Olympics, India is now turning its focus squarely on the 2036 Games.
The Indian delegation comprised Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president and athletics icon PT Usha, alongside key representatives from the Union Sports Ministry and the Gujarat state government. Their visit underscored India’s unified front and strategic intent in its Olympic aspirations.
“The discussions provided a vital platform for the Indian delegation to articulate their vision for hosting a future Olympic Games in Amdavad (Ahmedabad). Concurrently, they gained invaluable insights from the IOC regarding the requirements for the Olympic Games and its ambitions for the future of the Olympic Movement,” read a press release from the Indian delegation.
Usha expressed her firm belief that bringing the Olympics to India would have a 'generational impact for all Indians'.
India’s track record in hosting multi-sport extravaganzas includes two editions of the Asian Games, inaugurating the competition in 1951 and then returning in 1982, as well as the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, which remains the largest such event ever staged on Indian soil.
However, the road to securing the 2036 Olympics is expected to be intensely competitive. Saudi Arabia, fresh from its successful bid to host the FIFA World Cup just two years earlier, is also vying for the Games. Chile, Turkey and Indonesia have likewise thrown their hats into the ring, setting up a crowded field of contenders.
Should India’s efforts bear fruit, the country would join an elite group, becoming only the fourth Asian nation after Japan (1964), South Korea (1988) and China (2008) to host the Summer Olympics.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
