South Africa officially a contender to host 2036 Olympics, confirms IOC

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed that South Africa has joined the race to host the Olympics in 2036. Delegates from the African nation, including South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee president Barry Hendricks and Gayton McKenzie, the Sports Minister, went to the IOC headquarters in Lausanne to initiate the talks.

Africa has never hosted the Olympic Games, but it could be possible after Anant Singh, an IOC member, and Sam Ramsamy, an ICC honorary member, supported it. Thomas Bach, the IOC president, said that younger generations would be inspired if the quadrennial event took place in the African continent.

“The IOC warmly welcomes this interest and the united commitment of SASCOC, the government of South Africa and the support of the IOC Member and Honorary Member in South Africa,” Bach said in an official statement, as quoted by The Times of India.

“It has been presented to us today as a project to organise Olympic Games in South Africa – with and for the whole African continent. This project could one day lead to the first Olympic Games in Africa,” Bach added.

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India a strong contender for 2036 Olympics

South Africa have tough competition as India is also a contender to host the Olympics 12 years later. Earlier in November, it was learned that the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) submitted a ‘Letter of Intent’ to the IOC’s Future Host Commission.

Last year at an IOC session in Mumbai, Narendra Modi, the honorable Prime Minister of India, talked about India’s ambitions to host the Olympics. Apart from South Africa, India would also be competing with Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia for hosting rights.

The name of the host city will be announced next year at an IOC session. If reports are to be believed, India would be pushing for sports like kabaddi, chess, and T20 cricket if they get the hosting rights.