India's 2036 Games bid a chance to boost infrastructure, says sports governance expert
BENGALURU, March 15 (Reuters) - India's 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 world's 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 India's 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 Committee's (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, it's a great opportunity to turbo-charge investment into sports infrastructure that'll 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.
"It's important to ensure that the model imposed isn't one that's purely extractive of that country but one that's holistic and uplifts and leaves not just a legacy afterwards but actually delivers benefits along the way," she added.
"That's important because we say that sport is this great phenomenon that is so wonderful and it's healthy and it's good for us all. Let's make sure that it doesn't bring suffering or disadvantage to anybody because of a major event that's come."
India has performed poorly at the Olympics, winning a total of 41 medals to date. The seven it bagged in Tokyo four years ago remains its biggest haul from a single Games.
The country has won 10 gold medals, eight from hockey between 1928-1980, with one each from athletics and shooting.
Former India hockey captain PR Sreejesh, who helped the team seal bronze medals in Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024, said investment was needed to nurture the next generation of athletes.
"At the grassroots level, there's a lot to work on," said Sreejesh, who retired after the Paris Games and now coaches India's junior men's team.
"That's where the investment needs to go. If we're speaking about the 2036 Olympics, now is when we need to tap into talent between the age groups of 12-14 years."
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