World Athletics President Sebastian Coe on Monday met Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to discuss India’s intention to host the 2036 Olympics and the development of athletics in the country. Ko later also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi informally but there is no detailed information about it.
A top source of the Indian Athletics Federation gave this information. After this, left for Mumbai by evening flight. The 68-year-old former middle distance runner, who won four Olympic medals, was received by Athletics Federation of India (AFI) chief Adile Sumariwala at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Monday morning.
The British great is currently in the running to become the next president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the tour is believed to be part of a campaign to garner support for him. According to a media release from the Sports Ministry, Dr. Mandaviya spoke to him on India’s resolve to organize inclusive, environment-friendly and inspiring sports. He also said that our ambition to host the 2036 Olympics to showcase India’s cultural heritage and sporting potential on the world stage has the broad support of government, industry and society at all levels.
India last week submitted a letter to the International Olympic Committee expressing its intention to host the 2036 Olympics. The host city will be decided after the IOC elections next year. IOC elections are to be held next year. Thomas Bach is currently the IOC chief.
Sumariwala, AFI General Secretary Ravinder Choudhary and several Sports Ministry officials were present during the meeting between Mandaviya and Ko. “These are informal meetings, actually courtesy calls,” an AFI source told PTI. After meeting the Prime Minister in the evening, he will go to Mumbai for a business program.
Ko’s maternal grandfather was an Indian (the late hotelier Sardari Lal Malhotra). Ko is a popular figure in international sports and created a lot of buzz ahead of the Paris Olympics when under his leadership World Athletics became the first international federation to announce huge cash prizes for Olympic medal winners. During his visit the AFI is expected to make efforts to host the 2028 Junior World Championships.
In Mumbai he will meet representatives of Tata Communications as the company has been roped in as the host broadcaster for the World Athletics Ultimate Championships to be held in Budapest from September 11 to 13 in 2026. The competition will feature eight to 16 of the world’s top-ranked athletes in each event, selected primarily on the basis of world rankings.
There will be no limit on how many players from each country can compete in each event. A total of 16 events will be held including 100 meters, pole vault and 4×100 meters, with a total prize money of $10 million.
Disclaimer: Sarkari Result Daily has not edited this news. This news has been published from PTI-language feed.
