Bach wants India to be a candidate to host the 2036 Olympics, and supports cricket in Los Angeles 2028

IOC President Thomas Bach speaks to the IOC Executive Board. -Photo: International Olympic Committee/Greg Martin

president International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas BachHe said there were “strong arguments” in favor of this India Hosting Olympic Games 2036After the country’s Minister of Sports, Anurag Thakur, reiterated last month that the state intends to apply for this event. The discussion is taking place in the midst of plans to include cricket In a program 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

“Here our doors and hearts are open. India is prosperous and developed, and Indians are embracing Olympic sports. They are the most populous nation on the planet, and with their thriving sports movement, they can go beyond traditional sports and embrace more and more Olympic disciplines,” Bach said.

India recorded its highest tally of Olympic medals in Tokyo 2020 with one gold, two silver and four bronze. It was also the largest delegation of athletes in the country, at 124 athletes, representing the fourth consecutive increase in numbers. India last hosted a major multi-sport event in 2010, when New Delhi hosted the Commonwealth Games.

Bach then raised the possibility of cricket being included in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the most popular sport in India, the most populous country, while suggesting a TV-friendly T20 format among eight other sports.

“It might make sense for the Olympics. You know, I can’t hide it, I’m a big fan of cricket, I even played it once. Now it’s in the hands of the organizing committee in Los Angeles to come up with a proposal,” Bach told a local network in India. .

Cricket will be a more global game at Los Angeles 2028, even more so for the IOC. With Brisbane hosting the 2032 Games and the historic Gabba Cricket Ground undergoing a major revamp for the occasion, Australia may be better suited for India’s favorite sport to make its debut. The final list will need to be approved by IOC members in Mumbai next month.

In turn, Indian Minister of Sports, Anurag Thakur, explained his country’s dream of hosting the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Reports stated that Gujarat is interested in hosting, including plans to hold an opening ceremony in Ahmedabad. The city is home to the Narendra Modi Stadium, which has the largest stadium in the world, with a capacity of 132,000 people.

The date for the 2036 Olympics has not yet been set, and several countries have already expressed interest, including South Korea, Indonesia, Germany, Qatar, Hungary, Turkey, Mexico, Egypt, Poland and the United Kingdom. However, India has aggressively pushed ahead with these plans, hiring a well-known Olympic architecture and design firm with the aim of building an Olympic Sports Park around the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium.

The International Olympic Committee is scheduled to meet in Mumbai from October 15 to 17 this year for its 141st session, an important meeting for all members of the committee and could be an important stepping stone towards holding the country’s first Olympic Games. Until then, India had hosted its only other tournament in New Delhi in 1983.