So the faction-ridden Indian Olympic Association did find the time, in the middle of its internecine feuding, to submit a ‘Letter of Intent’ (LoI), expressing the country’s desire to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games, to the International Olympic Committee’s Future Host Commission.
PTI quotes a source in the Union Sports Ministry as having confirmed that the IOA submitted the letter on October 1.
It bears noting that the national body has long been mired in controversy owing to a tug of war between association president PT Usha and the cabal in the executive council led by AIFF president and IOA joint secretary Kalyan Chaubey.
The chaos in the IOA is centred around the Chaubey faction’s steadfast refusal to ratify the January appointment of Raghuram Iyer as IOA chief executive. Not so surprising considering that Chaubey has declared himself “acting” CEO.
Coming back to the LoI, the source in the Sports Ministry told PTI: “This monumental opportunity could bring substantial benefits, fostering economic growth, social progress, and youth empowerment across the country.”
A decision on the host will not be taken before the IOC elections next year and India will also have to face competition from several other nations, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, England, Indonesia and Turkey, which were “off the blocks” much earlier in positioning themselves as ideal contenders to host the sporting spectacle.
Per PTI, India’s proposal has the backing of outgoing IOC president Thomas Bach, whose term ends in March 2025.
For the record, Olympic officials had confirmed in mid-October that they were in talks with 10 potential candidates for the hosting bid.
The last time India hosted an international multi-sport extravaganza was the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
