[ad_1]
Ten years after hosting the Commonwealth Games, the IOA President said his country had lessons to learn but would not be discouraged.
“We are serious and definitely pitching for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games and the 2032 Olympics,” he told AFP on Friday.
India has already written expressions of interest for the International Olympic Committee, but is facing reported competition from Thailand, Russia and Colombia for the 2026 event.
Queensland in Australia, Shanghai and a possible joint bid between Seoul and Pyongyang are also promoted for the 2032 Olympics.
However, the pandemic has stopped all debate. Batra, also head of the International Hockey Federation, said “documentation” has started by 2032 but that work is now frozen. A final decision can take up to 2025.
“Now there is a team that visits the different places and you continue to talk to them and then send a report. It is an ongoing process that I think will not see activity until December,” said Batra.
“This is not the time to talk to business houses or the government about launching for the Olympic Games. The first thing should be how we solve this problem that has come to the world,” added Batra, referring to the virus.
The organization of the Commonwealth Games in Delhi was marked by construction delays, faulty infrastructure and allegations of financial mismanagement.
Most recently, Delhi was stripped of the 2021 world boxing championship, and the world body accused organizers of not paying a lodging fee on time.
Batra said he knew nothing of the boxing match, but insisted that the 2010 multi-sport event had made India think big and its growing economic influence means it has resources.
“I can say that the most important conclusion was that India is capable of hosting all major events, be it Olympics or any other game,” Batra said.
But he added that New Delhi did not capitalize enough on the 2010 Games by encouraging more young athletes.
“The Delhi event did not achieve the legacy values. The legacy of producing more athletes and developing them never happened here and that is why the tournaments moved from Delhi,” he said.
“The fact that such a large event occurred here was not adequately exploited.”
The coronavirus pandemic has only made it difficult for athletes to train for the postponed Tokyo Olympics, delayed until at least 2021.
But Batra sticks to his prediction that India will win more than 10 medals every time the next Games are held.
“About 80 Indian athletes have already qualified for the Olympics and are being monitored by directors and head coaches,” he said.
“So I stick to my previous prediction of a double-figure medal count and I don’t think this situation changes anything.”
Batra said he had the men’s hockey team, which won eight Olympic gold medals but did not finish in the top four since 1980, to return to success.
“At these Olympics I am certainly looking for a medal for the men’s team,” he said.
