India’s Olympic Dream: Why We’re Letting Our Youth Down

India’s big plan to bring the 2036 Olympics and Paralympics to Ahmedabad should make every Indian’s heart swell with pride. Imagine our country, with its 600 million young people, hosting the world’s biggest sporting event—a chance to show the world what we’re made of! But after the Indian delegation’s meeting with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on July 1, 2025, in Lausanne, Switzerland, it’s clear we’re nowhere near ready. The IOC laid it out plain and simple: our sports system is a mess—full of fights, cheating scandals, and embarrassing Olympic results. As someone who loves this country, it hurts to see our dreams slipping away because of our own failures.

Let’s start with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), the folks supposed to lead our Olympic charge. They’re stuck in a soap opera of their own making. For two years, they’ve been fighting over whether Raghuram Iyer should be their CEO, arguing about his salary and powers like kids in a playground. Meanwhile, the IOA is falling apart—no meetings since 2022, unpaid bills, and they’ve even lost their official email accounts! The IOC has had enough, cutting off athlete welfare funds since October 2024 because of this mismanagement. They’re even warning that India could get banned from the Olympics if this doesn’t stop. How are we supposed to host the world when we can’t even keep our own house in order?

Then there’s the doping problem, and trust me, it’s bad. In 2023, India topped the world in doping violations—213 cases out of 5,606 tests, according to the World Anti-Doping Agency. That’s a 3.8% failure rate! In 2022, our National Anti-Doping Agency was number one globally with 125 cases. As of December 2024, we’re second only to Kenya with 108 athletes banned for doping. This isn’t just about numbers; it’s about cheating our own athletes who play fair and ruining India’s name in sports. The IOC is crystal clear: clean up this mess, or forget hosting the Olympics. Why are we letting this go on?

And don’t get me started on our Olympic performance. At Paris 2024, we spent Rs 470 crore on the Target Olympic Podium Scheme, hoping for glory. What did we get? Just six medals, no golds, and a pathetic 71st place. Neeraj Chopra’s silver was the only bright spot in a sea of disappointment. The IOC isn’t impressed by our big stadiums or fancy plans—they want to see medals, proof that we’re serious about sports. Right now, we’re nowhere close to showing we can compete with the best.

The government says they’re working on it. They’ve rolled out the Khelo Bharat Niti, a new plan to mix sports with education and build better facilities. Sounds great, but let’s be real—it’ll take years to see results. With countries like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and Turkey fighting for the 2036 Games, we’re running out of time. The IOC, under its new boss Kirsty Coventry, has paused the host city decision, giving us a small window to fix things before they pick someone in 2026 or 2027. But all we’re hearing from our leaders is vague talk about “exploring possibilities.” That’s not enough!

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been pushing this bid since the IOC’s 2023 meeting in Mumbai, and choosing Ahmedabad, with a special team to plan the infrastructure, shows we’re serious. But as one official told The Indian Express, “The IOA needs to sort itself out first.” They’re not wrong. This isn’t just about hosting a big event—it’s about giving our 600 million young people something to believe in, a reason to dream big. If we keep failing them with bad management, doping scandals, and poor results, we’re letting down an entire generation.

We’re at a turning point. The 2036 Olympics could change India’s sports scene forever, inspire our kids, and show the world we’re a force to be reckoned with. But dreams don’t come true by wishing. We need to fix the IOA, crack down on doping, and start winning medals—not just building stadiums. If we don’t, we might not get another shot until 2044, and that’s too long to wait. India deserves better. Our youth deserve better. Let’s stop making excuses and start making it happen.

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