India s 2036 Games bid a chance to boost infrastructure says sports governance expert

BENGALURU - Indias bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games is a massive opportunity to turbo-charge investment in its infrastructure but it must ensure the benefits are shared across local communities, a sports governance expert said.

The worlds most populous nation has never hosted the Olympics, though New Delhi staged the Asian Games in 1951 and 1982 as well as the Commonwealth Games in 2010.

The city of Ahmedabad in the western state of Gujarat is expected to be at the centre of Indias plans to host the Games but a multi-city bid cannot be ruled out.

Former FIFA Council member Moya Dodd, who previously served on the International Olympic Committees (IOC) Athlete Entourage Commission, said developing the facilities needed to host the Olympics would have long-term benefits for the country.

Leaving the voting politics aside, its a great opportunity to turbo-charge investment into sports infrastructure thatll be able to bear fruit for many years to come, Dodd said during the RCB Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit on Friday.

Making sure those investments are the right ones in the right places, serving the right people, and taking a holistic view of that is a big opportunity, not just in hosting rights but also to improve communities that will be hosts.

Indonesia, Turkey and Chile have confirmed their intention to compete for the 2036 hosting rights, while several other countries including Egypt and South Korea are also expected to join the race.

Former Australian soccer player Dodd said there had to be a legacy from hosting the Games.

Its important to ensure that the model imposed isnt one thats purely extractive of that country but one thats holistic and uplifts and leaves not just a legacy afterwards but actually delivers benefits along the way, she added.

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