CHENNAI: It has been almost a year since Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India would bid to host the 2036 Olympics, but the name of the host city is yet to be sent to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Despite reports that Ahmedabad could be one of the potential host cities, the IOC is yet to receive any formal confirmation from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
"The IOC has not been informed by the IOA of any selected region," the IOC stated in an email to this publication. In contrast, nations like Indonesia and Turkey, considered serious contenders for the 2036 Games, have already selected their host cities or regions.
Although the IOC does not disclose the number of interested parties or details of the bidding process, its president, Thomas Bach, has affirmed that the number of interested countries is in double digits.
Unfortunately, internal conflicts within the IOA seem to be causing delays. During the Paris Olympics, where several potential hosts met with the IOC, there were no apparent meetings between IOA officials and the Future Hosts Commission.
Further complicating matters, the IOA has yet to establish a formal bid committee to manage negotiations with the IOC. This issue extends to the 2030 Youth Olympics, for which the IOA also needs to initiate dialogue with the IOC.
When asked whether the ongoing tensions between the IOA President and the Executive Council (EC) would impact the bidding process, the IOC said: “IOC is happy to see interest in hosting from India, with its huge passion for sport and youthful population. To move forward, any project from India would need the official support of the National Olympic Committee (NOC).”
One of the core issues driving the discord within the IOA stems from the appointment of a Chief Election Officer (CEO) in January 2024, despite objections from some EC members.
The IOC, however, has officially acknowledged both the results of the IOA elections held in December 2022 and the CEO’s appointment earlier this year. "The IOC had been reiterating that a strong NOC is needed for a positive bidding process."
In recent months, the conflict between IOA President PT Usha and EC members has escalated, paralysing the organisation. The IOA’s operations were severely affected, including the temporary suspension of its email domain over unpaid dues, though this issue has since been resolved. No EC meeting has taken place since 5 January 2024.
The IOC acknowledged that there are several "Interested Parties, including India, taking part in a non-committal Continuous Dialogue with the IOC." This dialogue, according to the IOC, allows potential hosts to "explore and improve their Olympic project, without linking it to any specific Games edition or year.”