IOA submits 'Letter of Intent' to IOC to host 2036 Olympics

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) submitted a ‘Letter of Intent’ to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), officially expressing India's desire to host the 2036 Olympics and Paralympics.

This was the first step in India's ambitious plan to host the multilateral Games.

The letter was submitted to the IOC's Future Host Commission on October 1, reported PTI.

Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the 141st IOC Session in Mumbai, expressed India's willingness to host the 2036 Olympics.

The IOC is likely to decide the host for the 2036 Games after the 2025 elections.

India, however, will face stiff competition from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey and South Korea, the host of the 1988 Seoul Olympics. These countries are among the strong contenders for hosting the grand sporting spectacle along with Mexico, Indonesia, Poland and Egypt.

At the IOC Session in Mumbai, India's bid for hosting the Olympic Games was supported by the incumbent IOC president Thomas Bach.

India last hosted an international multi-sport extravaganza in 2010 when the Commonwealth Games took place in New Delhi.

So far, Ahmedabad in Gujarat has been seen as the potential host city for the 2036 Olympics.

India has been on a mission to win the bid, with the IOA president PT Usha already lobbying for the Games during the Paris Olympics where she was an invitee.

The Sports Authority of India’s Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) has also presented a detailed report on the measures needed to win the bid to Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

The MOC, reportedly, selected six disciplines, including yoga, kho kho, kabaddi, chess, T20 cricket and squash for inclusion in the Games if the country gets to host the quadrennial extravaganza.