Researcher Muhammad Sadiq said that at the end of 2024, India officially announced to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) its desire to host the 2036 Olympic Games, while the Indian Prime Minister confirmed, This move will contribute to strengthening India’s position on the global sporting scene, in addition to driving economic and social development. If successful, India will become the fourth Asian country to host this global event, after China, South Korea, and Japan.
Sadiq added that submitting the bid is just the first step in a long and complex process that includes several stages before the final host country for the 2036 Olympic Games is selected. He explained that before making this decision, representatives of India’s influential elites held a series of informal discussions with the International Olympic Committee, where they succeeded in gaining the support of the current IOC president, Thomas Bach
Sadiq continued, noting that the committee’s president, Thomas, indicated that India has strong arguments that make it a qualified candidate to host the 2036 Olympics. However, Bach’s term as head of the IOC ends next June, and a new president is scheduled to be elected in March of this year. He added that the new president is expected to have a significant influence on the decision to select the host country for the 2036 Olympic Games.
Sadiq explained that British athlete and prominent official Sebastian Coe is one of the most prominent candidates to succeed Bach. Coe is known as one of the greatest
middle-distance runners in history and is considered an influential figure in the world of sports. He said: “After retiring from sports, Coe became involved in sports administration, where he headed the organizing committee for the London 2012 Olympic Games
He played a pivotal role in winning the bid to host the event, and in 2015, he was elected president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), now known as World Athletics. During his presidency, the federation witnessed a significant improvement in its financial performance, in addition to strengthening its anti-doping efforts.
Sadiq stressed that Coe’s administrative career was not without controversy. During his presidency, the IAAF faced a series of doping scandals. WADA investigations revealed systemic problems in the use of banned substances, including in major competitions. In one of the scandals that emerged in 2015, It emerged that federation officials concealed the results of doping tests to protect the reputations of well-known athletes, and Coe faced criticism for not dealing quickly with these cases.
Sadiq pointed out that Coe’s name has been linked to financial corruption. For example, the costs of organizing the 2012 London Olympics rose significantly compared to initial estimates, raising questions about financial management. He also faced accusations of corruption during his presidency of the International Association of Athletics Federations.
Especially regarding his predecessor, Lamine Diaske, who was accused of accepting bribes and manipulating doping test results. Although Coe denied any personal involvement and affirmed his commitment to fighting corruption, these events cast a shadow over his reputation.
He pointed out that India had made efforts to secure Coe’s support for its official bid to host the Olympics, and that given Coe’s extensive experience in managing hosting bids, he played a key role in London’s winning the right to host the 2005 Olympic Games. It is believed that India may have worked to strengthen its relationship with him to ensure continued supportive policies for its bid. However, these speculations remain uncertain, especially in light of the ethical and administrative challenges that the selection process may face.
Dr.. Manuel Godsin..
Writer and researcher in political science and political strategy.
He obtained a doctorate in international relations and strategic affairs from the University of Bergen in Norway.
and a Master’s degree in International Crisis Management from the University of Oslo
He is a writer and researcher at the International Center for Political and Strategic Studies
He has a large number of books translated into many languages: English, French, and Spanish, including The Crisis of the World and The Conflict of the Wings: The World on the Brink of Abyss.
