India among seven countries vying for 2036 Olympics, IOC says

BERLIN: Seven countries, including India, Germany and Qatar, are in the running to stage the 2036 Summer Olympics, the International Olympic Committee said on Tuesday.

Hungary, Turkey, South Africa and South Korea complete the list of interested parties, who are in preliminary talks with the IOC, with a shortlist to be drawn up in March next year and some countries progressing to a strategic dialogue phase.

“Wherever the Games take place, one thing must never change: athletes have to be at the heart of everything we do,” said IOC President Kirsty Coventry. “That is why, for every future host, delivering the best possible experience for the athletes must always be the starting point.”

India, the world’s most populous nation, is attempting to land its first Olympics while Qatar, which has bid before with Doha, is campaigning to become the first Muslim-majority nation to host the world’s biggest multi-sports event. Qatar staged the 2022 soccer World Cup.

Hungary, which most recently bid for the 2024 Olympics, has never staged the Games while Munich, host of the 1972 Olympics, is Germany’s candidate.

Istanbul tries again

Turkey’s Istanbul has failed in five previous attempts while South Africa is hoping to become the first African host of the Olympics. South Africa has major event experience, having organised the 2010 soccer World Cup.

South Korea has staged both summer and winter Olympics in Seoul in 1988 and Pyeongchang in 2018.

Preferred hosts will be named after the dialogue phase in 2028 and a final decision is expected in mid-2029.

Any other interested countries have until October 31 to come forward but new candidates are highly unlikely to emerge with less than four weeks before the deadline.

Bidding rules changed under Coventry this year, adding the strategic dialogue stage and involving members more throughout the process. It is also very likely that more than one country will be named as preferred hosts, unlike in past votes where just one bidder was put forward by the IOC executive board.

Los Angeles will stage the 2028 Summer Games and Australia’s Brisbane will host them four years later.