India Gujaratot szemeli ki Olimpiai pályázatához – Merész lépés a sportdicsőség felé?
The Times newspaper has reported that a preliminary master plan was revealed during a review meeting for the 2036 Games recently, with over 80% of Olympic sports events set for the two cities of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar in the nation's far western coastal state should its bid be successful.
According to the Indian outlet, sources confirmed that over 30 sports would be played across 14 venues situated in Gujarat's capital city of Gandhinagar and the state's largest city of Ahmedabad, which is located 25 km to the south of the capital. An Olympic Village has been slated for development near the Sardar Patel Sports Enclave in Motera in the north of Ahmedabad, making it well-situated between the two cities.
The remaining 20% of events are said to then be planned across four other states. Cricket and football events would take place in Mumbai in the neighbouring state of Maharashtra found south of Gujarat. Rowing and canoeing flatwater would be competed in Maharashtra's city of Pune. Surfing and sailing would take place further down the coast in the state of Goa, while canoeing slalom is touted for Bhopal in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Cycling and mountain biking events would be held in the state of Uttarakhand in the Himalayan north of India.
The initiative aligns with India's broader ambition to host the 2036 Olympics, with Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar positioned as the central hub in a proposed multi-city approach, but with events also spotlighting other areas of the country as part of a nationwide movement. Significant investments would be made in sports infrastructure projects, such as the Sardar Patel Sports Enclave and Ahmedabad's Naranpura Sports Complex, but nearly all events would be held in "existing sports facilities", according to sources.
The Times of India
India became the first potential host to formally express its desire to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games in November when the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) sent a letter of intent to the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Future Host Commission, officially putting it forward as a host. Long before that, the country's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, had made no secret of his desire to see India host, but there have been concerns over its dubious history with hosting sporting events.
The world's most populous country has never hosted the Olympic Games in any shape or form, youth, summer, winter, or otherwise. The most comparable event that it has staged, the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games, was somewhat tainted by numerous controversies such as construction delays, budget overruns, security worries and hygiene concerns. In a bid to shake this reputation and strengthen its position as a global sporting hub, the country hopes to secure the hosting rights of upcoming events, including the 2029 World Athletics Championships, the 2030 Youth Olympic Games, and the 2030 Commonwealth Games, as a means of dovetailing its 2036 Summer Games candidacy.
The Indian government reportedly plans to present a comprehensive proposal to the IOC this year and emphasise its readiness to host a successful Summer Games in 2036.