Indian Olympic Association To Discuss Bid To Host 2026 Commonwealth Games

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has announced that it will decide during its annual general meeting on December 30 whether it should approach the government to bid for hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games. India’s participation at Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022 will also be one of the agenda’s of the meeting.

Rajeev Mehta, the IOA secretary general while talking to the media informed that the main agenda of this meeting to be held at the IOA headquarters will be to bid to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games and to withdraw from the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games in protest of removing shooting from the program.

IOA Secretary General Rajeev Mehta said that it is up to the members to approve or reject the bidding proposal to gain the rights to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games. Mehta told PTI that IOA seriously wants to bid for hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games and need the approval of the members for this. Once the members agree to it only then will the IOA approach the government. If the government gives permission then we can host these games, Mehta added.

The Secretary general of IOA had announced last month that the association was keen to bid for hosting rights for the CWG 2026 in the presence of president Narinder Batra and visiting Commonwealth Games Federation president Louise Martin and CEO David Grevemberg.

It is to be noted that the host city of 2026 CWG games was to be announced at the 2019 CGF General Assembly in Kigali, Rwanda. However, it was later decided that it will be announced next year.

In addition to issues related to commonwealth games 2022 and 2026, few other issues like IOA’s bid to host a session of the International Olympic Council in 2023, country’s preparations for the Tokyo Olympics, and disputes relating to some National Sports Federations and National Sports Code (2017) will also be on the plate at IOA’s general meeting.

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