India’s bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games could face serious challenges following Bangladesh’s withdrawal from the men’s T20 World Cup, amid concerns at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over the politicization of sport, The Guardian reports.
Earlier this month, Bangladesh announced it would withdraw from the T20 World Cup scheduled for next month after the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected its request to move group-stage matches from India to co-host Sri Lanka. The decision is linked to long-standing political tensions between the two countries.
The situation escalated after the Kolkata Knight Riders dropped Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from their Indian Premier League squad. Kolkata reportedly said the move was taken on the direction of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Pakistan is also reportedly considering boycotting the tournament in solidarity with Bangladesh, with a final decision expected soon.
Although the ICC formally ruled that Bangladesh would continue to play its matches in India, The Guardian reports that the BCCI played a central role in opposing any change to the schedule.
While the ICC maintains it operates independently, it has previously taken decisions that favored Indian interests and one such example is the ICC’s decision to grant India a guaranteed semi-final slot at the 2024 T20 World Cup in Guyana.
These developments come at a sensitive moment for India, which recently secured hosting rights for the 2030 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi and is competing with Qatar to host the 2036 Olympic Games in Ahmedabad.
The IOC takes a far stricter stance on political interference in sport than the ICC. According to a source quoted by The Guardian, India’s chances of being awarded the Olympics would be “severely reduced” if there were any risk of boycotts by other nations.
The Olympic Charter requires sports organizations to operate independently of political influence, and Rule 50.2 explicitly bans political or religious expression during the Olympic Games.
According to an IOC insider quoted by The Guardian, India will need to demonstrate “significant improvement” in its relations with both Pakistan and Bangladesh if it is to be considered a credible host for the 2036 Olympic Games.
