As India eye '36 Oly, IOC outlines bidding process

THE roads were unusually quiet at the Bandra-Kural Complex (BKC) on Sunday. There were quite a few flags and flexes around the Jio World Convention Centre where the first day of the 141st IOC Session was taking place. There were quite a few discussions and presentations, some open to the audience, while others were behind closed doors.

- INDRANEEL DAS

However, from an Indian perspective, the buzz was all about hosting the Olympics in 2036. The storyline was determined the moment Prime Minister Narendra Modi pitched India's interest during the Opening Ceremony on Saturday. There was no escaping the obvious question it's not about when but how. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) treaded as cautiously as possible whenever such questions were posed to them. The body's director of communications, Mark Adams, who has been following the nuances of bidding for a while, along with Christian Klaue, director, corporate communications, explained in detail the process of showing interest and the next step.

To put it straight, Adams said the intent or interest has to be shown by the National Olympic Committee (NOC), in this case the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). "Theoretically, the entire bid process has to come through the National Olympic Committee of the country, in which case it's the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). They would approach us saying that we have an interest and then we will initiate a dialogue."