This document summarizes the Indian government's response to questions raised in Lok Sabha regarding India's potential bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games. Specifically, it addresses concerns about the selection of proposed venues, the "Pan-India" label of the bid, and the representation of states with significant Olympic contributions.
The Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, clarified that bidding for the Olympic Games is the responsibility of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ultimately allots hosting rights. The selection process is publicly available on the IOC website.
The IOA has submitted a letter of intent to the IOC and is currently in the Continuous Dialogue phase with the Future Host Commission of the IOC.
The response does not directly address the specific venue selections (Bhubaneswar for Hockey, Bhopal for Rowing, Pune for Canoeing/Kayaking, and Mumbai for Cricket) or the rationale behind them. It also does not provide a direct answer to the query regarding the concentration of venues in a limited number of states or the reasons for excluding states like Punjab and Haryana, despite their significant Olympic representation. Instead, it reiterates the IOA's role in the bidding process and the IOC's authority in host selection.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports: A ministry in the Government of India responsible for youth affairs and sports.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India.
India Olympics Bid 2036: India's attempt to host the 2036 Summer Olympics.
Shri Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer: Member of Lok Sabha who raised the question about India's Olympics bid.
Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya: The Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, answering the question in the Lok Sabha.
Indian Olympic Association (IOA): The organization responsible for bidding to host the Olympic Games in India.
International Olympic Committee (IOC): The organization that allots hosting rights for the Olympics.
Bhubaneswar, Odisha: Proposed venue for Hockey in India's 2036 Olympics bid.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
(DEPARTMENT OF SPORTS)
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3665
TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.08.2025
INDIA OLYMPICS BID 2036
3665. SHRI GURMEET SINGH MEET HAYER:
Will the Minister of YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS be pleased to
state:
(a) whether India is bidding to host the 2036 Olympics, with proposed
venues including Hockey in Bhubaneswar, Rowing in Bhopal,
Canoeing/Kayaking in Pune and Cricket in Mumbai;
(b) if so, the parameters considered by the Government while
selecting these cities for various sports;
(c) whether the bid is being labeled as a "Pan-India bid" by the
Government, yet most venues are concentrated in just 2-3 States;
(d) the manner in which this represents the entire country; and
(e) whether Punjab and Haryana have produced the maximum number
of Olympians, if so, the reasons for not included in the bid, while
Gujarat, with practically zero Olympic representation has been given
prominence?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
(DR. MANSUKH MANDAVIYA)(a) to (e) Bidding to host the Olympic Games in India is the
responsibility of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and allotment
of hosting rights for the Olympics is done by the International
Olympic Committee (IOC) through a detailed host selection process.
The host selection process is available in public domain on IOC
website at https://www.olympics.com/ioc/becoming-an-olympic-
games-host/the-process-to-elect-olympic-hosts. IOA has submitted a
letter of intent to IOC. The bid is now in the “Continuous Dialogue”
phase with the Future Host Commission of IOC.
*****