IOC: Candidates from seven countries bidding for 2036 Olympics
Baku, October 6, AZERTAC
Seven countries are interested in hosting the 2036 Olympics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Tuesday.
An IOC statement said that Germany, Hungary, India, Qatar, South Africa, South Korea and Turkey were the interested parties before an October 31 deadline.
Germany and South Korea are the only two of the seven countries to have hosted Olympic Games in the past.
The IOC said that the seven will make presentations to the IOC's Future Host Commission in November as part of a continuous dialogue which will be followed by a strategic dialogue of candidates with the IOC executive board chaired by president Kirsty Coventry from March 2027 onwards.
A select number of preferred hosts is to be chosen for a targeted dialogue by the IOC in November 2028, with the host to be elected by all IOC members at its session in 2029.
"Wherever the Games take place, one thing must never change: athletes have to be at the heart of everything we do," swimming gold medallist Coventry said.
"As an athlete, you spend years working to make your Olympic dream come true. The experience you have when you finally reach the Olympic Games stays with you for the rest of your life.
"That is why, for every future host, delivering the best possible experience for the athletes must always be the starting point."
Qatar was long been considered a strong candidate and has staged world championships in major Olympic sports but the Iran war showed that it could be a risky choice.
India has also been touted as a future host, but there are financial and implementation concerns around its bid centring on the city of Ahmedabad.
Istanbul has made several unsuccessful attempts for Turkey while Hungary has also been interested for years with Budapest. Olympic Games have meanwhile never taken place in Africa.
Germany is bidding with the 1972 hosts Munich who will continue bidding for 2040 or 2044 if not successful for 2036.
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