Interest in hosting Olympic Games ‘never so high’, says International Olympic Committee boss Thomas Bach
- The German said on Friday that there were “double-digit” numbers of candidates in the running to host the 2036 Games
- This is in contrast to when he took over, when only two cities were interested in the 2024 and 2028 Summer Games
Despite threats from climate change, AI-enhanced doping or competition from esports, the boss of the International Olympic Committee believes the future has never looked so bright for his sports movement.
Thomas Bach, a 70-year-old German fencer, has run the Switzerland-based guardian of the Olympic Games since 2013, when interest in hosting the event was near rock bottom after repeated scandals over costs and corruption.
Its diminished appeal was clear at the time of bidding for the 2024 and 2028 Summer Olympics when there were only two candidates, Paris and Los Angeles, who divided the honours between themselves.
Since then, the 2032 Games have been awarded to Brisbane, Australia, and Bach told AFP in an interview at IOC headquarters on Friday that there were “double-digit” numbers of countries in the running for 2036.
“We have never been in such a favourable position. We have never seen such a high interest in hosting the Olympic Games,” he said on Friday from his offices that overlook Lake Geneva.
After a string of Games in Western democracies, 2036 could be an opportunity for Saudi Arabia, sole candidate for the 2032 Fifa World Cup; Qatar, a losing candidate for 2032; Indonesia, or India.