In the Olympic Spirit - Russia is willing to support India’s bid to host the 2036 Games

While the world sports community has been boycotting Russia due to the invasion of Ukraine, the country has offered an olive branch to the Olympic family by willing to help India in its bid to host the 2036 Olympics.

Oleg Matytsin, Russia’s Sports Minister said his country’s “specialists will be happy to help in organizing the Olympic Games in India.”

India has twice approached the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in an effort to host the Games, but was unable to put together a comprehensive bid.

As the next three Summer Olympics are slated to take place in Paris (2024), Los Angeles (2028) and Brisbane in 2032, India sees 2036 as their opportunity to present a strong bid.

This week, during his visit to India, Matytsin told RIA Sport Russia was “very happy” India is hoping to host the Games.

“If such a dream as hosting the Olympic Games comes true, then this will be another criterion for the stable development of the country. We are always open to interaction and ready to share our experience of hosting the Olympic Games, and we have done this many times, so if a decision is made, then Russian specialists will be happy to help in organizing the Olympic Games in India.”

The IOC sees the region and specifically India as a key strategic partner. Sixty percent of India’s 1.4 billion citizens are under the age of 35.

The 140th IOC Session is set to be held next year at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai, and IOC President Thomas Bach sees the opportunity India presents.

“We have chosen India because it is the second-most populous nation in the world, with a very young population and a huge potential for Olympic sport,”

Narinder Batra, the president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), has proposed a multi-city bid for the 2036 Olympics. He noted the bid would be centered around the city of Ahmedabad. Gujarat’s Advocate General Kamal Trivedi informed the Gujarat High Court the state “was preparing for the Olympics of 2036″ and the “Olympic Committee will visit in 2025.”

Sports Minister Anurag Thakur and the Russian delegation met this week in New Delhi at the conference Against Doping in Sport with Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday.

Sources said the ministers explored areas of cooperation in sports, including the exchange of technical knowledge between players and coaches.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said the Narendra Modi stadium is already capable of hosting the Olympics and that Ahmedabad has taken further steps in investing in athletic infrastructure.