Bullish about India's chances of securing the 2036 Olympic hosting rights, Sports Minister Anurag Thakur said the country has the wherewithal to compete with other contenders in the bidding war and rejected criticism that the money would be better spent on welfare schemes.
The host of the Games will be decided by the International Olympic Committee's future host commission not before 2026 or 2027 as the IOC is due to elect a new president next year. India's ambitious interest has found support from current IOC head Thomas Bach, who believes the country has a "strong case".
"We are fully prepared. Very easily we can," Thakur asserted in an interview to PTI when asked whether India has what it takes to withstand the aggressive bidding war that is likely to ensue given that several countries like Poland, Indonesia, Mexico, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia have either declared interest or are likely to join the race.
