MUMBAI: World Athletics president Sebastian Coe believes that India’s intention to host a major international athletics competition will only further its lofty ambitions to host the Olympics.
“When any country has Olympic ambitions, and I think India does too, it’s only useful to be able to demonstrate a track record of delivering sports at an international level,” Coe said in an online call with reporters at the end of the year on Monday. No,” he said.
During a visit to India last month, Koh, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 1,500 meters, met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in Delhi, where he received a letter from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). He received an explanation about India’s letter of intent to the IOC. The Olympic and Paralympic Games will be held in 2036.
At the time, the 68-year-old Briton also revealed that he was delighted to have received a letter of intent from the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) to host the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in 2028.
This week, the AFI announced that India will host the first World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze Grade event in Bhubaneswar next August. This also confirms India’s growing ambitions to host big events, Koh said.
“I am happy that a continental tour event will be held in Bhubaneswar. I have been to Bhubaneswar and it is a good city. The Asian Athletics Championships (2017) was held there. We have local support, and that’s a good thing,” Secretary Washington said. “We are very grateful to the Indian athletics body as they have shown an ambition to host more of our events.”
Last month, TOI said a power struggle within the Indian Olympic Association was putting India at a disadvantage compared to rival countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkiye, Indonesia and Hungary in the race to host the 2036 Summer Olympics. was reporting.
During a recent visit, Mr Koh made it clear to this newspaper that he had no interest in getting involved in the IOA’s internal affairs. However, by vying to host an event like the Junior World Athletics Championships in 2028, India is on the right track towards demonstrating its credentials as a country ready to host major sporting events. He said that.
“It’s important,” said the man who aspires to be the next president of the IOC. “Evaluation teams need confidence, and sports in particular need confidence that the competitions that are going to be conducted at the Olympic level are being conducted at least at the world level” at the championship or global competition level. It gives a sense of security. And that track record is clearly important for a city that wants to present its credentials to stage highly complex and complex sporting events.
“There is nothing more complex than the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
