IOC Chief's India visit sparks Olympic bid confirmation rumours

Thomas Bach is set to land in India on Monday

With the International Olympic Committee Chief Thomas Bach set to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India on Monday, expectations of the proposed Olympic bid going through are high.

Till a couple of months back, even relating the word Olympics with the Indian sporting landscape would sound absurd. But, with PM Modi keen on bringing the Games to India in 2024, talks seem to be heading in the right direction.

As the Games’ perennial under-achievers, India has failed to leave its mark on the multi-discipline event, however, IOC’s only Indian member Randhir Singh seems optimistic. He said, “The IOC would love to see India host the Games. Everything will depend on how the talks between Modi and Bach go because ultimately it is the government that has to make a call.”

However, the country’s history of hosting multi-discipline events is a dark one. The 2010 Commonwealth Games held in New Delhi saw several accusations of corruption levied on the organisers. These accusations would also be proved true in court.

According to sources close to the Sports Ministry, Modi is keen on understanding the cost required to host the games and it’s financial implications. Singh said, “There will be sceptics who will talk of white elephants and enormous costs, but hosting an Olympic Games can enable a changing and dynamic India to become a soft superpower.”

If the talks do go through, it would be unlikely that India would go on to host the 2024 edition as Tokyo would be hosting the 2024 Olympics. With Paris, Rome and Boston all likely to bid for the event as well, India and Asia’s chances are slim.

However, Singh, who has represented India in five Olympics, is certain that India is in contention for the 2028 and 2032 editions. He added, “In the past, the priorities of the government in a developing country like ours were different. There could not be so much emphasis on sport.”