Why in news?

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) submitted a 'Letter of Intent' to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) expressing India’s interest in hosting the 2036 Olympics and Paralympics.

With other strong contenders like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey also in the race, a decision won’t be made until after the IOC elections next year. The competition among these countries will go through a rigorous selection process, led by the IOC's Future Host Commission.

What’s in today’s article?

• International Olympic Committee (IOC)
• Process of selection of host country
• India makes formal bid to host 2036 Olympics

International Olympic Committee (IOC)

• About
  • It is the guardian of the Olympic Games and the leader of the Olympic Movement.
  • The vision of the International Olympic Committee is to Build a Better World through Sport.
• As an organisation
  • In 1892, Pierre de Coubertin of France declared his intention to spearhead a movement to revive the ancient Greek Olympics.
  • His efforts led to the establishment of IOC in June 1894 as a not-for-profit independent international organisation.
  • It is based in Lausanne, Switzerland, the Olympic Capital.
• Roles & Responsibilities
  • IOC is the authority responsible for organising the modern (Summer, Winter, and Youth) Olympic Games.
  • It is the governing body of the National Olympic Committees (NOCs).

Process of selection of host country

• Background
  • An Olympic host election is the result of a close collaborative partnership between the IOC and the potential host, together with its National Olympic Committee (NOC), to explore every aspect of the proposed Games vision and plan.
  • The host election process is overseen by two Future Host Commissions, one for Summer, and one for Winter Games. 
    • The Commission aims to explore, create and oversee interest in future Games of the Olympiad.
    • The commission considers factors such as the region’s infrastructure, sustainability plans, economic impact, and cultural relevance to ensure each host city aligns with the Olympic Movement’s strategic goals.
• Informal Dialogue
• As per the selection policy, the IOC first gets into an informal dialogue with interested host countries.
• This process gets started with the submission of a ‘Letter of Intent’.
• Targeted dialogue
  • If the world body is satisfied with the planning and capability of the candidate, then it enters a targeted dialogue when the IOC’s Executive Board invites the “preferred host” to refine and present their proposal.
• No fixed timeframe
  • There is no fixed timeframe for electing the hosts.
• What IOC looks at
  • The IOC looks at multiple factors:
    • candidate city’s funding strategy, the ability to deliver the Games, transport infrastructure, accommodation capacity,
    • alignment of venues with local development plans, socio-economic and geo-political factors, and public support.

India makes formal bid to host 2036 Olympics

• About the news
  • The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has formally expressed India’s interest in hosting the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games by submitting a Letter of Intent to the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Future Host Commission.
    • Los Angeles in the USA will host the 2028 Summer Olympics, and Brisbane, Australia, will host the 2032 Games.
  • This move aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of bringing the Games to India.
• Ahmedabad as Potential Host City
  • The 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi was India’s last major international multi-sport event.
  • Ahmedabad is currently a leading candidate to host the 2036 Games if India’s bid is successful.
  • IOA President PT Usha and other sports officials promoted the bid during the 2024 Paris Olympics and maintain close ties with IOC officials, reinforcing India's readiness to host the Games.
• India’s Push for Inclusion of Regional Sports
  • India aims to include yoga, a significant element of its cultural heritage, in the Olympic sports program.
  • The Sports Ministry’s Mission Olympics Cell has identified six sports — yoga, Twenty20 cricket, kabaddi, chess, squash, and kho kho — for potential inclusion.
  • Under IOC rules, a host nation can propose sports popular in its region for inclusion in that edition of the Games.