India must start winning medals in 'double digits' to host 2032 Olympics: Batra

Agra: India must start winning medals in “double digits” in the Olympics if it wants to realise the dream of hosting the 2032 Summer Games, Indian Olympic Association President Narinder Batra said on Saturday.

Batra was felicitated by the Athletics Federation of India on Saturday for his recent election as a member of International Olympic Committee on the concluding day of its Annual General Body Meeting here.

“We are bidding for 2032 Olympics, 2030 Asian Games and 2026 Youth Olympics. Unless we start winning medals in the Olympics it may be difficult to get the right to host the Olympics. People will say India has won few medals in Olympics,” Batra said.

“So we must start winning in double digit medals. We can target 10 to 12 medals in Tokyo, 25 in 2024 and around 40 in 2028 Olympics.

“Unless we set targets we will not achieve anything. I feel these are achievable targets,” he added.

Asked about IOA’s stand on doping being made a criminal offence, he said, “It is very difficult to answer the question. Doping is a serious issue and it must be tackled by taking stringent measures.”

The AFI has been in forefront of making doping a criminal offence and NADA has prepared a draft bill on this issue.

Batra also informed that a five-a-side international hockey tournament is likely to be held in Agra later this year.