Mumbai to be proposed to host the IOC Session in 2023
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board (EB) has decided that Mumbai, India, will be put forward to a vote of the IOC Members to host the IOC Session in 2023. The decision will be taken at the 136th IOC Session in Tokyo in July.
The EB today heard a report from the IOC Session Evaluation Commission, which visited Mumbai in October 2019 to study the feasibility of hosting the IOC Session in Mumbai. The Evaluation Commission praised the quality of the facilities at the Jio World Centre, which is the potential venue for the IOC Session.
The Commission was also impressed by the potential of India as a country, which is the world’s sixth largest economy and has a population of 1.3 billion people, 60 per cent of whom are under 35.
IOC President Thomas Bach stated: “We have chosen India because it is the second most populous nation in the world, with a very young population and a huge potential for Olympic sport. We want to encourage and support the National Olympic Committee of India and all the National Federations to promote and strengthen Olympic sport in the country.”
It is hoped that hosting the IOC Session in India will highlight the role of sport in India and celebrate the contribution of India to the Olympic Movement.
The year 2023 will be significant for India as it coincides with the 75th anniversary of Indian independence. Hosting the IOC Session in Mumbai would put the Olympic Movement at the heart of those celebrations.
Future Host Commission
The IOC Executive Board also heard for the first time a report from the Chair of the Future Host Commission for the Games of the Olympiad, Kristin Kloster Aasen. She explained that, even though they are 12 years away, there is already a healthy interest in the organisation of the next Olympic Games in 2032 – and the same is true for the Youth Olympic Games.