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Source: The post is based on the article “Olympian heights – India must be wary of the complexities of hosting the Olympiad” published in The Hindu on 16th October 2023.
Syllabus: GS 2 – Governance – Government Policies & Intervention
Relevance: challenges associated with India in hosting the 2036 Olympics
News: The Prime Minister of India has declared an interest in hosting the 2036 Olympics and has also shown enthusiasm for hosting the Youth Olympics.
What is the significance of this decision?
Enhancing Global Image and Soft Power: The Olympics serve as a global soft power tool, capable of enhancing a nation’s sporting, economic, socio-cultural status, and political credibility.
Therefore, the Prime Minister’s recent announcement reflects India’s ambition to harness these benefits.
India’s decision to host the 2036 Olympic Games will help it to boost its global image and influence. It is a move that is in line with India’s aspirations for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council and its role in the G-20.
Recent Success: India’s recent success at the Asian Games has given it a strong boost in sports.
The country is confident that it can continue to improve its performance at multi-disciplinary events, and even has hopes of winning double-digit medals at the Paris Olympics in 2024.
Hence, the recent success also aligns with the ambition to hold 2036 Olympics. However, hosting a mega event like the Olympics is a huge challenge.
What are the challenges associated with hosting Olympics?
Costs have been a significant concern, as seen in the cases of Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. In the case of Tokyo, the expenses increased to more than the initial estimate
Recently, Australia and Canada have also withdrawn from hosting the Commonwealth Games due to cost issues.
What can be done to address the challenges?
In order to address the issues, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has now moved away from the one-size-fits-all approach to hosting the Olympics.
It is asking potential organizers to present projects that best fit their economic, social, and environmental realities.
Hence, India’s success in hosting the Olympics will depend on its ability to navigate the challenges and trade-offs involved.
