New Delhi: In a remarkable turn of events, India is set to host the 141st session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after a 40-year hiatus, with Mumbai being the chosen venue from October 15 to 17, 2023.
The resounding support for India's bid, securing 75 out of 76 votes, has ignited hopes of realizing Nita Ambani's long-cherished dream of bringing the Olympic Games to India.
When Nita Ambani, the first Indian woman to be elected as an IOC member, initially pursued the opportunity to host the IOC session in Beijing, few anticipated the overwhelming endorsement India would receive. Now, as the IOC session returns to India, the question lingers: Will the Olympic Games soon follow suit?
Expressing her optimism, Nita Ambani stated, "Sports has always symbolized hope and inspiration for millions worldwide. As one of the world's youngest nations, I eagerly await introducing India's youth to the magic of the Olympics. Hosting the IOC session is a dream come true, and our aspiration is to host the Olympic Games in India in the near future."
But why is Nita Ambani's dream of bringing the Olympics to India of such significance, and why do IOC sessions hold such sway? The IOC session serves as the highest decision-making body for all matters related to the Olympic Games, including adopting, or revising the Olympic Charter, electing IOC members and officials, and selecting Olympic host cities. Notably, the ongoing discussion about including cricket in the Olympics, potentially for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, may see its fate decided during the IOC session in Mumbai.
The hosting of the IOC session in India has drawn a prestigious roster of global sports figures to the country. Notable attendees include International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, International Association of Athletics Federations President Sebastian Coe, Prince Albert II of Monaco, and pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva.
The last time India hosted an IOC session was in 1983 when New Delhi welcomed the 86th edition. Since then, the dream of hosting not just the IOC session but also the Olympics remained unfulfilled. A lack of representation within the IOC hindered India's aspirations until six years ago when Nita Ambani became the first Indian woman from the private sector to join the committee. Her persistent efforts have now borne fruit, securing India's role as the host for the 141st IOC session.
Beyond her IOC membership, Nita Ambani is transforming the landscape of Indian sports. Her initiatives have engaged more than 2.15 crore young athletes in various sports schemes. The positive impact of her groundbreaking work was evident in the Asian Games, where over 10 percent of medal-winning athletes had affiliations with the Reliance Foundation, underscoring her commitment to the future of Indian sports.
Here is all you need to know about the upcoming IOC session
The IOC session is a meeting of all the members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board and is also attended by a selection of members from the IOC members. The upcoming session will be the 141st IOC session. Usually, important decisions regarding host cities for upcoming events, inclusion or exclusion of sports and federations and changes in the Olympic Charter are made at the IOC Sessions. An IOC session is usually held during every Summer and Winter Olympics barring a few exceptions.
When will it be held?
The 141st session of the IOC will be held in Mumbai, India on 15, 16 and 17 October this year. The session will be preceded by an IOC Executive Board Meeting on 12 and 13 October. The opening ceremony of the IOC session will be held on 14 October. The session will be held at the state-of-the-art Jio World Centre in Mumbai.
How did India get the hosting rights?
The decision to hold the 141st IOC Session in India was taken by the IOC Members during the 139th IOC Session held in Beijing in February 2022. Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra, IOC member Nita Ambani, IOA president Narinder Batra and sports minister Anurag Thakur presented India’s proposal for the hosting rights. India won the bid after 75 members voted in favour of Mumbai while one voted against it.
"The Olympic Movement is back in India after a 40-year wait. I am truly grateful to the International Olympic Committee for entrusting India with the honour of hosting the IOC Session in Mumbai in 2023," Mrs Ambani had said after the successful bid.
Has India ever hosted the session before?
Hosting the IOC session is a big achievement for India as they have only hosted it once previously, exactly 40 years ago in New Delhi in 1983.
Who are some of the big names in attendance?
Apart from all the members of the IOC Executive Board, the session will be attended by IOC members including two-time Olympic 1500m champion and World Athletics President Mr Sebastian Coe, FIFA President Mr Gianni Infantino, seven-time Olympic swimming medallist and Chair of the IOC Coordination Commission Dakar Youth Olympics 2026 Kirsty Coventry, Prince Souverain Albert II of Monaco, two-time Olympic pole vault gold medallist Yelena Isenbaeva, two-time Olympic 10000m silver medallist and National Olympic Committee of Kenya President Paul Tergat, Olympic pole vault gold medallist Sergey Bubka, Olympic shooting champion Abhinav Bindra, to name a few.
IOC members on importance of the session:
“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,” said IOC president Thomas Bach on why India was awarded the hosting rights
“The IOC session is a mark of the trust that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has in India. We know the potential that India holds and we are very excited about partnering with our colleagues in India to be able to host the IOC session. As you know, an IOC session does attract a lot of attention because a lot of important decisions happen in that forum amongst the IOC membership relating to the future of the Olympic movement, the future of the Olympic games but also other that haven’t been discusses earlier. For us, it is a great opportunity and we are very excited about it," he said.
James Macleod, Director of NOC Relations, Olympic Solidarity and Olympism365 at IOC on why the upcoming session is of huge significance. “This will be a significant development for India’s Olympic aspiration and will herald the start of a new era for Indian sport.”
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