Manmohan Singh has said that India will bid for the Asian Games 2014 and Olympics 2016 reports New Kerala. Can we build infrastructure to host an Asian Games so soon? We have the Commonwealth Games in 2011 and so infrastructure would be boosted any way. So Asian Games 2014 is possible if India pursue it seriously.
Olympics in 2016? Forget the infrastructure for a minute. Lobbying and a lot of effort is also required to host the games apart from initial financial expenditure for promoting an Olympic city. Even then cities lose out. Also the competition is immense and India entering fray right now for 2016 would already find a few counries ahead of it. Maybe it can be a bidder in name (which would again require serious financial expenditure). India can go for hosting an Olympic in the future but not as early as 2016.
But, I would think it would be very good for India. Because to hold these events, you have to have so much modern infrastructures and good telecommunication, security, and what not that any country hosting them would become really developed in certain areas. Also, all these will create lots of jobs and flow of money and thus good for economy.
I know many would argue that such money should be used somewhere in a country like India, but economy always doesn’t work that.
Sports events are a big boost. Infrastructure is boosted as you pointed out. Moreover money comes into the country via sponsors et all. I am not against India hosting an Olympic in 2016 at all KL. Just think it is highly improbable hinging on impossible. :)
Why? A decade is there between now and 2016. I know we all take lots of time even to construct a small muddy road :D. But, we better start learning fast how to do things fast as they are done in other countries :D.
The only thing is India might never be ready while the bidding comes (usually the IOC visits each country and evaluate their infrastructures).
Infrastructure is just part of it KL. :) The big part is lobying and financial spending which boosts the lobbying.
I will give an example – New Zealand and Australia want to hold the World Cup Cricket in 2011 like the Asian countries do. Both possible hos nations do have the infra structure for it. But only one will get to host the 2011 world cup. In Olympics scenario, there are more serious bidders and competition is much bigger.
[...] This venture should result in gains in financial terms apart from development of infrastructure which comes along with these games. Pawar implies that it would not happen when he says: “What do we gain, barring a few medals and some IOA officials having a good time?” This aspect has to be investigated. Whether Games are a profitable venture or not (usually they are profitable despite initial expenses for bidding, infrastructure). If profitable, I do not understand Pawar’s contention. For money is needed for development. Profitable ventures such as hosting a Commonwealth Games can be the proponents of bringing in new money into the country. It is common knowledge how much the an Olympic boosts the economy of a nation. Just recently, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that India wanted to host the Asian Games and Olympics in the near future. Also, it is too late for Pawar to raise the issue. India cannot withdraw from hosting the Commonwealth Games now at this late stage where the contracts have been signed. I am all for raising issues but why not raise them when they can be resolved. Pawar’s raising points right now just points towards creating a furor and gaining attention. And we all know politicians thrive when they get attention. Tags: BCCI, Commonwealth Games 2010, Indian Sports, IOC, Public Money, Sharad Pawar. [...]