India Makes Pitch for 2036 Olympics, IOC Says: Fix Internal Issues First

 India Makes Pitch for 2036 Olympics, IOC Says: Fix Internal Issues First

India has officially stepped forward with its ambition to host the 2036 Olympic Games, presenting Ahmedabad as the proposed host city during a key meeting with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Tuesday. But the response from the IOC was clear and direct — before putting together a master plan, India must address several deep-rooted challenges.

This meeting marked the first formal interaction between India and the IOC regarding a potential Olympic bid. The Indian delegation, led by Gujarat’s Home and Sports Minister Harsh Sanghavi and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha, included top government officials, IOA representatives, corporate executives, and consultants.

While the team outlined India’s vision and enthusiasm for hosting the Games, the IOC didn’t mince words. They expressed serious concerns about governance issues within the IOA, the country’s ongoing battle with doping in sports, and India’s underwhelming Olympic track record. India finished 71st in the medal tally at the last Games in Paris, with just six medals — a performance that continues to weigh heavily on its Olympic ambitions.

According to those familiar with the closed-door discussions, the message from the IOC was unambiguous: India is welcome to work on its bid, but significant progress must be made internally before any serious discussions can move forward. “Get your house in order first” was the key takeaway from the meeting.

One major stumbling block is the current administrative crisis within the IOA. Since late 2024, the IOC has frozen athlete welfare grants to the IOA due to a stalemate in leadership and ongoing disputes. These issues have stemmed from a power struggle between PT Usha and other members of the Executive Council, involving controversies over sponsorships, financial matters, and the appointment of Raghuram Iyer as CEO. These disagreements have been ongoing for nearly two years and have hampered India's preparations for international competitions.

Adding to the concerns is India’s troubling record on doping. The World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) latest report ranked India with the highest positivity rate for banned substances among leading sporting nations. Alarmingly, India also ranked second behind Russia for the number of positive doping cases among minors. In athletics alone, the Athletics Integrity Unit has placed India just behind Kenya for the most doping violations as of May 2025.

While India has received more time to prepare due to the IOC temporarily pausing the host city selection process — a move made under the new IOC President Kirsty Coventry — that window comes with an expectation: India must act swiftly and decisively to clean up its sports governance and anti-doping systems.

A senior official from the Union Sports Ministry acknowledged the challenges but expressed optimism, stating that efforts are already underway to address the doping issue and resolve the leadership tussle within the IOA. “We know these are critical problems, and we’re working hard to fix them. Our dream of hosting the 2036 Olympics depends on it,” the official said.

For now, India’s Olympic ambitions remain on the table — but whether they become a reality depends entirely on how quickly the nation can set its sporting house in order.