India’s Ahmedabad 2036 Olympic bid was dealt a blow by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) during high-level meetings this week, casting doubt on the perceived frontrunner in the race to host the Games. The Indian Express reported that an unidentified official with knowledge of the meetings described three key concerns – national Olympic committee governance issues, anti-doping failures and lackluster performances at previous Games – as showstoppers that could prevent the Games from going to India for the first time.
“It has been communicated very candidly that while India can continue preparing for its bid to host future Olympics, the country has to address these issues first. This was, in a nutshell, the big takeaway from this meeting,” the source said, describing the IOC’s feedback during a meeting that was held at Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland Tuesday.
Led by Gujarat Sports Minister Harsh Sanghvi and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha, the Indian delegation intended the meeting to be an impactful launch of the so-called Continuous Dialogue stage of the the IOC’s bid process where parties can discuss plans and exchange views without any commitments. During the visit officials formally named Ahmedabad the nominated host, and back at home the government approved a new national sport policy designed to support an Olympics.
The meeting that was planned weeks ago moved forward despite new IOC president Kirsty Coventry last week ordering a pause to the bid process and asking a working group to evaluate and propose possible changes.
India had been seen as the IOC’s favorite in the race with Coventry and other IOC Executives having close ties to the world’s most populous nation. Olympics officials are looking to India for partnerships that could spark much-needed spectator and revenue growth and are reportedly near signing an Indian brand to a top-level sponsorship deal. On Thursday it was reported that the IOC has opened an auction to award Indian broadcast rights for the Los Angeles 2028 Games that will feature cricket for the first time in over a century.
Cricket – India’s favorite sport – was named as a one-time addition to the Olympic program by the LA 2028 organizing committee, seemingly as a favor to the IOC in its mission to further endear the country. That move will also give a significant boost to the value of the broadcast rights which could be a multiple of the USD $31 million received for Paris 2024, according to IOC officials.
But last October the IOC reprimanded the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) for poor governance and halted solidarity payments, a revenue sharing package designed to support athletes and sport programs. Further sanctions could follow, including a suspension which would make it impossible for the bid to continue.
The accusations stem from financial mismanagement that saw bills going unpaid and a subsequent disagreement between President PT Usha and Executive Committee members over the ratification of the CEO. The IOC has been concerned about unfiled annual reports and critical meetings have been delayed or canceled. At one point Usha asked the press to stop reporting negative stories as it would risk the potential Olympic bid.
The Indian Express source said “It has been made clear to us that the IOA must get its house in order before serious talks regarding hosting the Olympics take place. That’s the starting point.”
Doping is another major concern for India with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) reporting that the nation is among the top international offenders in terms of total violations and positivity rates. Much work will be required to implement testing and cultural changes to correct this serious issue.
Meanwhile India’s performance at past Olympic Games has been abysmal considering the population of the nation. At the Paris 2024 Games Indian athletes won a total of six medals, none of the them gold, placing the team 71st overall. That has been the typical result since the nation first competed in 1900.
The Khelo Bharat Niti national sport policy passed by the government this week is designed to address these issues through better integration between sport and education, improved infrastructure and a renewed sport culture. Results from the new policy may not bee seen for years.
Before 2019 bid reforms, cities were elected seven years in advance, but now there is no fixed timetable for choosing hosts. The LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032 host contracts were signed 11 years ahead of the Games. The new working group formed by Coventry is set to re-evaluate the timing in the bid process.
Other places interested in hosting in 2036 include Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Hungary, Nusantara in Indonesia, Santiago in Chile, South Africa, Egypt and North Jeolla, South Korea. European contenders include Germany, Istanbul, Budapest, Barcelona and Madrid.
