India to bid for 2026 Youth Games, 2030 Asiad, 2032 Olympics

Mumbai :The Indian Olympic Association has decided to bid for the 2026 Youth Olympics and 2032 Summer Olympics.

Addressing a press conference, in New Delhi , along with visiting International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach, Indian Olympic Association president Narinder Batra said, “We are bidding for three events, 2026 Youth Olympics, 2030 Asian Games and 2032 Olympics. We don’t know whether they will come to India or not. Let us see how fierce the competition is.”

Bach, who is on a two-day visit to the country, said India has the capability to host big Olympic events but advised the IOA to wait for the bidding process to start.

“We have taken note with great appreciation of the intention of IOA to host future Youth Olympics and Summer Olympics. It would be fantastic for Indian athletes to have their Olympics at their home country. It will give a boost to sports in India and develop interest in many young people to take up sports,” Bach, who in Delhi in 2015, said.

“But it’s not the time to discuss in detail about future candidates as no procedure is currently open neither for Olympic Games nor for Youth Olympics. The next available slot for Youth Olympics is 2026 but we are even yet to decide on 2022 edition host city, the process is underway. Only after we finalise 2022 Youth Olympics hosts, we will start the procedure for 2026,” said Bach.

The IOC chief also had a meeting with Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore during the day.

The bidding process for the 2026 Youth Olympics is likely to start in early part of 2020. Besides India, Thailand has also expressed interest to host the 2026 Youth Olympics.

Regarding the IOA’s intention to bid for 2032 Olympics, Bach said, “There is a lot of time left till we open bidding procedure for 2032 Olympics. We have to wait till that.”

A decision on the 2032 Summer Olympics host city will only be taken in 2025 and the bidding process is expected to start sometime before that.

Germany — which has proposed a 13-city bid — and Australia (likely to be Brisbane) have expressed their desire to bid for 2032 Olympics and more countries are expected to join the fray later on.