IOC president pauses 2036 Olympics hosting contest, does that open door for Hong Kong bid?
IOC president Kirsty Coventry pauses fast-tracking of a preferred bidder, seemingly stalling India’s push towards winning hosting rights
New IOC president Kirsty Coventry has paused the fast tracking of a preferred bidder for the 2036 Olympics, potentially opening the door to a bid from Hong Kong.
While India had been considered the front runner to win hosting rights, Coventry’s decision on Thursday has seemingly stalled that momentum in a race that also includes the likes of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Turkey.
China has yet to officially express an interest in hosting a third Olympics, after staging the Summer Games in 2008 and the Winter version in 2022, but a working group in Hong Kong has been pushing hard to bring it to the Greater Bay Area.
The group, which is made up of local business and sporting officials, has already brought their plan to the government and hope to have it mentioned as part of the Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s Policy Address later this year.
In a series of opinion pieces, the group has outlined the benefits a Games would bring, and the minimal cost involved if co-hosted with Shenzhen and Guangdong.
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Coventry paused the signature policy of her predecessor and mentor Thomas Bach, in a concession to International Olympic Committee members who have wanted more say in decisions under new leadership.