'No doubt' that Singapore capable of hosting world-class sporting events: IOC president Thomas Bach

SINGAPORE: There is "no doubt" that Singapore is capable of organising top sporting events, said International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach on Thursday (Apr 28).

Mr Bach, who is in Singapore for a one-day visit, was speaking to reporters during a lunch with the Singapore sports fraternity at Swissotel.

The event was also attended by Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) president Tan Chuan-Jin and Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong, among others.

When asked for his thoughts on Singapore's recent bid for the 2025 World Athletics Championships, Mr Bach declined comment.

"I think there can be no doubt that Singapore can organise the first-class events on a world level but you may understand that I cannot comment on a particular candidature for one particular event," he said.

"The quality of Singapore as an organiser - there can be no doubt that the entire world knows about (it)."

Sport Singapore (SportSG) had announced in March that Singapore is bidding to host the World Athletics Championships in 2025. Singapore has previously hosted the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010, the Southeast Asian Games in 2015 and currently hosts the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix.

If wins the bid, this would be the first time the championships will be held in Southeast Asia. Previous hosts of the event include London, Beijing and Moscow. 

When asked if it would one day be possible for a Southeast Asian country like Singapore to host the Olympic Games, Mr Bach said yes.

"We are very open in the IOC. We have revolutionised the candidature procedure. We have also revolutionised the organisation of the Games, making them much more sustainable and feasible and being much more flexible than we have been in the