India’s high-profile campaign to host the 2036 Olympic Games has hit a pause not because of a failed pitch or lack of ambition, but due to a fundamental shift in the way the Olympic Movement selects its future hosts.
On June 20, 2025, Kirsty Coventry, newly elected as the first female and African president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), announced a sweeping review of the current host election process, delaying timelines and recalibrating expectations for nations like India, which had been fast-tracking its bid.
For a country dreaming of staging its first-ever Olympics, this “pause” is not a rejection, but it certainly alters the landscape.
A Sudden Slowdown to a High-Speed Chase
India officially submitted its Letter of Intent in October 2024, moving swiftly into what was called the “continuous dialogue” phase with the IOC’s Future Hosts Commission. The Gujarat government and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) were leading an aggressive pitch, centered around Ahmedabad’s state-of-the-art Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave and Karai Sports Hub. A high-level delegation led by IOA president PT Usha, Union Sports Secretary Hari Ranjan Rao, and key Gujarat officials is still scheduled to visit Lausanne from June 30 to July 2 for meetings.
That visit will go ahead, Coventry confirmed. “We welcome all interested parties to participate in this review process. India’s delegation is expected next weekend, and that visit remains unchanged. They may be the first group we engage with to better understand aspirations and challenges,” she said.
But the broader selection process will now undergo a thorough overhaul.
Why the IOC Hit Pause
The IOC’s decision comes at a time when concerns over the transparency and consistency of the current selection model have grown louder. Since 2019, host selection has moved from an open bidding system (where IOC members voted on candidates) to a dialogue-based approach managed by the Future Hosts Commission. The new process aimed to reduce the financial and political excesses of previous bids, but also inadvertently removed democratic participation from the hands of the 107 active IOC members.
At her first Executive Board meeting, Coventry acknowledged this flaw: “There was overwhelming support from the IOC members for a pause and a full review. Members want to be engaged more in the process.” She announced the formation of a working group to re-examine “when and how” future hosts should be chosen. Notably, this reevaluation will include a study of the contrasting preparation timelines for recent Games — Brisbane, awarded the 2032 Olympics 11 years in advance, and the French Alps, named as hosts for the 2030 Winter Games just six years prior.
It’s not just about who gets to host but when and under what conditions.
India’s Olympic Vision: Still in Motion
For India, the IOC’s pivot is a setback, not a shutdown. The Lausanne visit is still a go. The multi-agency delegation, which includes Gujarat Sports Minister Harsh Sanghavi and Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani, is expected to reaffirm India’s commitment and ambition. The country’s campaign highlights its rich cultural diversity, its emergence as a global power, and its vision of hosting the Games as a beacon of peace and inclusion in South Asia.
Ahmedabad, though not officially declared as the host city, is the clear frontrunner, with significant investments already underway. The SVP Sports Enclave, adjacent to the Narendra Modi Stadium, is envisioned as a sprawling, multi-sport campus with permanent facilities for athletics, aquatics, tennis, and indoor sports. Karai, meanwhile, will house a 35,000-capacity athletics stadium and a shooting complex within a repurposed police academy campus. Both clusters are designed to comply with the IOC’s sustainability and legacy-focused standards.
Tenders for consulting firms have already been issued, masterplans are being drafted, and timelines are moving forward even as the IOC’s decision introduces uncertainty.
The Global Context: Competition and Caution
India isn’t alone in its Olympic ambitions. The 2036 Games have attracted interest from more than ten countries, including Qatar, Indonesia, Turkey, Germany, and Saudi Arabia. India’s bid was seen as one of the most comprehensive and politically united a rare convergence of central, state, and private stakeholders rallying around a common sporting goal.
But the rush to secure the Games had also raised concerns. The IOC’s past experience particularly with Brisbane’s early award showed how long lead times don’t always guarantee smooth delivery. Budget overruns, evolving political climates, and shifting societal expectations have prompted the IOC to reconsider whether early host awards make sense anymore.
“The experience of future hosts already selected including Brisbane and the French Alps needs to be thoroughly studied before making decisions about 2036,” Coventry said.
The Political Undertones
This reset also comes at a delicate time for India. With general elections concluded earlier in the year and a renewed political mandate in place, the Olympic bid was expected to serve as a marquee project symbolizing India’s rise. The 2030 Commonwealth Games, also being pursued by India, was seen as a precursor a dress rehearsal on the global stage. That aspiration is still alive, but the Olympic delay introduces a wrinkle into the broader narrative.
And then there’s the domestic competition. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has expressed interest in bringing the Games to the capital, though Gujarat remains firmly in the driver’s seat. The presence of Gujarat’s top sports and infrastructure officials in the Lausanne delegation all but confirms Ahmedabad’s pole position.
What This Means for the Bid
The new IOC direction essentially slows down but doesn’t derail India’s Olympic momentum. The key now will be patience and adaptability. Instead of a 2026 award date, the decision could be pushed further into the decade. India will need to maintain political will, administrative focus, and infrastructural investment without the certainty of a timeline.
It must also adapt to a potentially more democratic and competitive selection model, one where voting may return, rival bids will gain time to strengthen, and sustainability will be scrutinized more than ever.
A Bigger Mandate for Coventry
Kirsty Coventry’s rise to the IOC presidency marks a generational and ideological shift. An Olympic gold medalist swimmer from Zimbabwe, Coventry brings a blend of athlete-first values and a global South perspective that may recalibrate the IOC’s priorities. Her early days in office are already marked by bold decisions from tackling gender eligibility in sports to rethinking how and when the world’s biggest sporting spectacle is assigned.
Speaking from Lausanne, she stated: “We are going to be looking forward and see how we are going to strengthen the Movement. It’s not all doom and gloom.”
Indeed, for India, this may yet be a blessing in disguise time to consolidate its pitch, demonstrate real capability, and emerge not just as a bidder, but as the most ready, reasonable, and resilient Olympic host in waiting.
India’s Olympic dream isn’t over it’s just deferred. The country has built up significant momentum, domestically and diplomatically. The pause from the IOC offers a valuable window to reflect, recalibrate, and redouble efforts. The Games of the XXXVI Olympiad might not be awarded in 2026, but when they are, India intends to be standing at the front of the line ready, waiting, and worthy.
Inputs from IndianExpress and InsideTheGames
