French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed confidence that India has the capability to host the 2036 Olympics
Paris [France], August 13: As India prepares to bid for the 2036 Olympics, French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed his belief that India has the "capacity" to host such a significant event.
In an interview with Jio Cinema, Macron stated his confidence in India's future and its ability to organize the Olympics. He acknowledged the fierce competition involved in hosting the Games.
"I am a strong believer in your country and its future, and in what you can achieve, including organizing such events. The competition is fierce, and that should not be underestimated. I recall seven years ago when we competed against the US—Los Angeles—at Lausanne, and eventually reached a great cooperative agreement. Competing in itself is an excellent preparation," Macron said.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed India's intent to host major sporting events like the Olympics.
Addressing the para-athlete contingent in Delhi after their successful performance at the Para Asian Games in Hangzhou, PM Modi emphasized that the government's approach is "athlete-centric." He noted India's growing sports culture and its emergence as a "sporting society."
The Prime Minister further mentioned that India's growing self-confidence is driving its ambition to host international events. "We are working towards hosting the 2030 Youth Olympics and the 2036 Olympics," he stated.
India has been making significant strides in multi-sporting events over the years.
In the previous year, during the Asian Games and Para Asian Games in Hangzhou, India surpassed the 100-medal mark for the first time, securing 107 and 111 medals respectively. In the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, India won 61 medals, although its best medal count remains 101, achieved at home in 2010.
India finished in 71st place on the Paris Olympics medals tally, while the United States of America topped the list with a total of 126 medals.