Olympics 2036: India’s Hosting Costs Estimated At Rs 64,000 Crore, Says Report

India has been vocal about its ambition to host the 2036 Summer Olympics, with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) officially submitting a Letter of Intent to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in October last year. The latest estimates suggest that hosting the prestigious multi-sport event could cost India between Rs 34,700 crore to Rs 64,000 crore.

A high-level coordination committee convened in Gandhinagar this week, where a key document titled ‘Review Meeting – Preparedness towards Amdavad 2036’ was presented. The document reaffirmed India’s commitment to bringing the Olympic Games to the country, specifically to Ahmedabad and other selected cities.

Projected Costs and Comparisons with Previous Games

According to a media report, which gained access to the document, the projected cost of hosting the 2036 Olympics would exceed the expenditure of the upcoming Paris Olympics, which is estimated at Rs 32,765 crore.

“The final blueprint, accessed by a media report, reveals estimated costs involved in bringing the sporting spectacle to the twin cities of Gujarat and four other cities — namely Bhopal, Goa, Mumbai, and Pune — placing the potential expenditure in the context of previous Olympic Games editions,” the report stated.

IOC’s Stance on India’s Bid

Kristy Coventry, the newly elected President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), remained reserved about India’s bid to host the 2036 Games. While acknowledging the selection process, she stated that she would share her “ideas” in the coming days regarding the future host selection.

When asked if India’s bid could progress to the “accelerated targeted dialogue” stage before outgoing IOC President Thomas Bach leaves office on June 23, Coventry responded, “At the end of the day, there is a process in place and that process is ongoing and that will remain, as far as I know, for the next few months.” She further emphasized, “I do think that we need to involve the members in the selection of future hosts and I have a few ideas and may be willing to share those, maybe next week.”

Coventry is set to officially take charge as the IOC president on June 23, Olympic Day, following a three-month transition period.

Competition Among Potential Hosts and Next Steps

India is not the only contender in the race to host the 2036 Olympics. More than ten countries, including Qatar and Saudi Arabia, have also expressed interest, though it remains unclear how many nations have formally entered the competition.

With the submission of the Letter of Intent, India has advanced from the ‘Informal Dialogue’ to the ‘Continuous Dialogue’ stage of the host election process. At this stage, the IOC conducts a feasibility study to assess the potential host’s preparedness for the Games.

The next step in the process would be the ‘Targeted Dialogue’ phase, requiring the submission of a formal bid that would undergo evaluation by the Future Host Commission before a final decision is made. A formal announcement on the host city for the 2036 Olympics is not expected before 2026.

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