New Delhi: India’s bid to host the 2036 Olympics became clearer on Wednesday after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved a revised host selection process that will culminate in the announcement of the winning bid by mid-2029.At the 146th session of the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne, members approved a proposal by future Host Committee chairperson Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, the former president of Croatia, to introduce a new “strategic dialogue” stage in the selection process. The move is aimed at increasing transparency and providing clearer information to countries vying to host the Games. “Potential organizers want greater transparency. All stakeholders want greater transparency,” Grabar-Kitarovic said outlining the changes. She added that the goal is to identify and elect the host of the 2036 Olympics by mid-2029.The decision is significant for India, which formally entered the competition by submitting a letter of intent in 2024 and is currently in the ongoing dialogue stage with the International Olympic Committee. Ahmedabad remains the proposed host city for India’s ambitious Olympics project.
Financial guarantee, site visit and final assessment
Under the revised process, interested parties will first move on to an ongoing dialogue phase before a shortlist is developed in March 2027.“Interested parties will be shortlisted for a ‘strategic dialogue’ in March 2027 and must answer a prospective host questionnaire and submit core financial guarantees before they can be considered for the final assessment phase, the so-called targeted dialogue,” the IOC said.The strategic dialogue phase will require candidate countries to provide initial responses to the IOC questionnaire, demonstrate financial support and meet requirements related to cost control, project delivery timelines and infrastructure planning. Future host committees will also conduct site visits to evaluate proposed venues and host city plans.“During this new transitional phase, they will expect preliminary responses to the future host questionnaire and core financial guarantees,” the IOC said.After this stage, the shortlisted candidates will move onto a directional dialogue stage in 2028, which will effectively serve as the final stage of the campaign.
The International Olympic Committee will finalize the venue for the 2036 Olympic Games in mid-2029
“The preferred host must update their submission. They must also submit a full set of guarantees. The final decision on hosting the 2036 Games will be made at a meeting in mid-2029,” Grabar-Kitarovic said.She further stressed the need for future hosts to provide “a full suite of guarantees to provide maximum legal and financial security”.India faces stiff competition from Qatar, while Türkiye and South Africa are also expected to be among the contenders. At the end of the targeted dialogue phase, the IOC Executive Board will determine the preferred host and submit it to the IOC General Assembly for election.Last year, IOC President Kirsty Coventry suspended the Games host selection process, calling for wider consultations with potential hosts based on feedback from IOC members.
