IOC to India on hosting 2036 Olympics: 'First, put your house in order'

IOC told the Indian delegation in candid terms that while India could continue preparing its bid to host a future Games, it must first address the structural concerns

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has issued a strongly worded wake-up call to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), even as an Indian delegation made a formal pitch to host the 2036 Olympics.

 

Amid longstanding allegations of mismanagement and corruption within India’s sports bodies, the IOC flagged concerns over governance issues in the IOA, the country’s rampant doping problem, and its underwhelming Olympic performance.

 

According to a report in The Indian Express, the global body told the Indian delegation in candid terms that while India could continue preparing its bid to host a future Games, it must first address the structural concerns.

 

The Indian delegation to Lausanne was led by Gujarat’s Home and Sports Minister Harsh Sanghavi and IOA President P T Usha. It included senior officials from the Union government and the state, top IOA functionaries, private consultants, and corporate executives.

 

In a statement after the meeting, the delegation said it had “explored the opportunity and feasibility of India hosting a future edition of the Olympic and Paralympic Games”.

 

Just days earlier, the IOC had announced a pause in the process of selecting future Olympic host cities. Nonetheless, the Indian delegation proceeded with its meeting in Lausanne, officially confirming for the first time that Ahmedabad is India’s chosen city for a future bid.

 

The meeting took place despite IOC President Kirsty Coventry stating in her first media interaction that the host selection process was being halted to give IOC members greater say. With Brisbane already awarded the 2032 Games, the 2036 edition remains open, and India has now formally expressed its intent to bid.

 

According to the Indian delegation’s statement, the meeting was a critical opportunity to present the country’s vision for hosting the Olympics in Ahmedabad. The delegation also received key insights from the IOC on the requirements to host the Games and the organisation’s broader ambitions for the Olympic Movement.

 

Though Ahmedabad had long been viewed as the government’s preferred venue, this marked the first official communication of that choice to the IOC.

 

The statement added that hosting the Olympics in India would significantly elevate the country’s sporting landscape, giving 600 million young Indians a once-in-a-generation chance to witness the Games on home soil.

 

The bid was described as a transformational opportunity to drive socio-economic progress, spur innovation, improve education, and foster national pride. Rooted in the Indian ideal of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — the world is one family — the bid pledged to welcome the global community as one during the Games.