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According to reports, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set his sights on the 2024 Olympics to be hosted in India, and in the city of Ahmedabad – where the BJP politician hails from. Sources say that a formal plan on the matter is already in the final phase, and that it would be presented to International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach, who is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi later this month on a two-day visit.
Sources also say that Sports secretary Ajit Mohan Sharan has already taken the first step to achieving an Ahmedabad Olympics by holding discussions with key IOC officials in Switzerland during his visit last week.
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) life president Vijay Kumar Malhotra, a key BJP leader himself, had told reporters a few days ago, "The PM assured the delegation that he is keen to make India a major sporting powerhouse.”
Road to hosting 2024 Olympics
India has time till September 2015 to formally submit their bid, after which there will be an ‘information seminar’ held in Switzerland. The IOC Executive Board will announce the shortlisted cities around May 2016.
As of now, the cities with which Modi’s Ahmedabad are in competition with are Rome(Italy), Hamburg(Germany), Boston(USA). Nairobi(Kenya), Doha(Qatar), Casablanca(Morocco), Paris(France) and St.Petersburg(Russia) are expected to enlist in the race in coming days.
Brazil will host the 2016 Olympic Games while Japan's capital Tokyo will play host to 2020 Summer Games.
The final announcement of hosting rights for 2024 will be made during the 130th IOC Session in Lima, Peru, on September 15, 2017 – incidentally, the year when Gujarat’s next Assembly elections are slated to take place.
India have never hosted the Olympic Games since its inception in 1894, and have 20 medals to show from the event’s 111-year history.
