Can India host an Olympic Games in the near future?
This has been a big question after Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his intent to have India host the Summer Olympics for the first time in history. He made an informal pitch for the 2036 Games while opening the 141st Session of the International Olympic Committee in Mumbai on Sunday.
India is hosting the annual IOC session for the first time in 40 years and with the rapid progress in sports, it seems like a prestigious idea on paper.
In the past, Delhi has hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2010 and Asian Games back in 1982. But there hasn't been an operation as investment intensive as an Olympics before.
Before we dive into India's chances, there are two things to note:
First, the decision of the 2036 host will only happen in 2025 and second that there are about 10 host cities interested and India has not made an official approach yet.
Here's a breakdown of the process and what IOC officials had to say about India's chances and the way ahead:
First - an official proposal
First things first, the expression of interest from the PM now needs to translate into a formal letter from the Indian Olympic Association.
"We have a new process now. What would happen is theoretically the country has to come through the national committee. Then they approach us and say we have an interest, and a dialogue would be opened," Mark Adams, IOC spokesperson said on the sidelines of the Congress in Mumbai.
On being asked how early India can start the process, he stated that the NOC [National Olympic Committee] has to be the one making the formal approach.
"It happens a lot with all other countries. There's a lot of people and politicians who typically want to own the projects. Until we get something officially from the NOC, it's not happening."
Host choosing process - no more voting
In about 2019, the IOC has stopped the procedure of competitive bidding to decide the future hosts, instead opting for a more collaborative process. Now, it is the IOC that engages with interested parties, removing the planners and fancy presentations pitches from the equation, which greatly reduces the cost involved.
For example, the cost for Brisbane Games 2032 was 80% less during the candidature phase (project planners, public affairs, public relations, videos etc.). This is a significant reduction in amount and can work in India's favour.
"In the past, we put up a city against another city. So, they would produce slick videos, book list to beat this one and we don't need that anymore. We are not asking for that anymore. You want to talk to us, not to your competitors," another IOC official said.
This means no more votes and deadlines, it's now more of a recruitment process than a game show as one official phrased it.
Sustainability is key
The IOC is also trying to make hosting Games a more sustainable prospect by choosing venues that already have majority of the infrastructure in place. For instance, in Paris, 95% of venues are already in existence or temporary. In Los Angeles [where the 2028 Games will be held] they didn't have to build a single new venue.
However, there is an exception to this in cases where building new infrastructure would be part of a bigger picture legacy; another aspect that India can benefit from.
"Say, this city really needs a swimming pool - as Paris has done, they have built a really good swimming pool and village. They say there is a very good long-term legacy for this.
"So, if a city in India said they want to improve their sporting infrastructure, and they want to invest this money anyway, that won't stop the bid. What we're trying to do is find what works for your city, your region. And that will be different from your city in India, to the US," an official said.
Given there won't be many existing Olympic level facilities in one city, the development of top-quality infrastructure could be a good thing for India.
IOC President Thomas Bach is addressing the audience with Indian Prime Minister @narendramodi @PMOIndia during the Opening Ceremony of the 141st IOC Session. #IOCMumbai2023 pic.twitter.com/AmNUKSjjc7
- IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) October 14, 2023
What happens once official dialogue has started?
This is the big step that determines how the choice is made. The main team here is the Future Host Commission within the IOC.
This commission was established after the IOC decided to change the bidding approach and is chaired by Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović.
Commission members are not IOC Executive Board members or nationals of a country that is an interested party.
"The commission looks at each bid again and on the basis of their experience, they would decide and make a recommendation to the executive board on who should or shouldn't go forward to the targeted dialogue," another official explained.
The dialogue moved from continuous to targeted, which simply means that how the conversation changes from general to specificities of hosting.
How long does this procedure take?
Earlier, it would take years for a bid to be processed but the duration has shortened drastically now.
"In the old days, it was seven years ahead. Now, it really depends on each side. At some stage of the dialogue, when both sides think it's time to move on, then we can go," said another official.
Is there any other Olympics India can host?
Modi has also said that India is looking to host the Youth Olympics in 2030, which does not follow the same procedure as the Summer Games and has more investment from IOC.
"We actually contribute a lot more towards that. It's the same principle, but it's a different process, and you wouldn't 'build' anything for the Youth Games. And we always say, the Youth Games should go to countries where you can't host the big Games in the first place. That's why with Youth Games we have been to Singapore, Buenos Aires and so on," an official said.
The next Youth Olympics will happen in Dakar, Senegal, in 2026.
What's the one, big takeaway?
Hosting an Olympics is an idealistic goal for India, with several challenges such as heavy financial investment, upgraded infrastructure in one city, and even weather conditions.
But the process has been simplified by IOC and with the right adjustments, it could be a realistic target over a decade from now. One noteworthy statement is that a continuous dialogue with IOC means India's bid is not limited to the 2036 Games, it can be a future venue even after that.