India's 2036 Games bid a chance to boost infrastructure, says sports governance expert

BENGALURU : India's bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games is a massive opportunity to "turbo-charge" investment in its infrastructure but it must ensure the benefits are shared across local communities, a sports governance expert said.

The world's most populous nation has never hosted the Olympics, though New Delhi staged the Asian Games in 1951 and 1982 as well as the Commonwealth Games in 2010.

The city of Ahmedabad in the western state of Gujarat is expected to be at the centre of India's plans to host the Games but a multi-city bid cannot be ruled out.

Former FIFA Council member Moya Dodd, who previously served on the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Athlete Entourage Commission, said developing the facilities needed to host the Olympics would have long-term benefits for the country.

"Leaving the voting politics aside, it's a great opportunity to turbo-charge investment into sports infrastructure that'll be able to bear fruit for many years to come," Dodd said during the RCB Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit on Friday.

"Making sure those investments are the right ones in the right places, serving the right people, and taking a holistic view of that is a big opportunity, not just in hosting rights but also to improve communities that will be hosts."

Indonesia, Turkey and Chile have confirmed their intention to compete for the 2036 hosting rights, while several other countries including Egypt and South Korea are also expected to join the race.

Former Australian soccer player Dodd said there had to be a legacy from hosting the Games.

"It's important to ensure that the model imposed isn't one that's purely extractive of that country but one that's holistic and uplifts and leaves not just a legacy afterwards but actually