Nita Ambani is playing an exemplary role in India’s Olympic journey: IOC President Thomas Bach tells News18

Mumbai: International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach pointed out that the Reliance Foundation and its chairperson Nita Ambani, who is also an IOC member, have been instrumental in supporting not only elite athletes, but more importantly, the promotion of sports among underprivileged children. They are playing an exemplary role in assimilating the culture. Bach said these things in a special conversation with News18.

Praising India’s Olympic spirit and the country’s tremendous progress in global sports, including its record medal tally in the recent Asian Games, Bach said India is welcome to bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games. He said the IOC session has returned to India ‘at the right time’ after a gap of 40 years.

Read – Nita Ambani called the inclusion of cricket in the Olympics as historic, said – for Indians it is not a game, it is a religion.

#BreakingNews: Abhinav Bindra to present Olympic Values ​​Programme; #IOCSession underway in Mumbai

“It is great to see the Olympic spirit growing so much,” says IOC President @thomasbach76 in an #exclusive conversation with @AnchorAnandN@vinivdvc with details | @aayeshavarma pic.twitter.com/F7YRqWBfCO

— News18 (@CNNnews18) October 15, 2023

Edited excerpts:

Thomas Bach, thank you very much for talking to CNN-News18. The first question to you is that IOC has come to India for this special session after 40 years. What are your thoughts?

It is great to come back to India after 40 years and see the Olympic spirit growing so much here with the success of Indian athletes in the Asian Games. There is considerable youth involvement around the Olympic Movement, with several initiatives being run by the Reliance Foundation, chaired by IOC member Nita Ambani. This is really a great feeling. I think we are back at the right time.

Mr Bach, how has Nita Ambani played her role in the last six years?

She is playing an exemplary role with all the support for elite athletes as well as grassroots program centres, education programs on Olympic values. With Reliance Foundation’s academies, many young children in India are getting access to sports and for many for the first time in their lives. Many come from underprivileged families, and they are not only getting access to sports but they are also getting access to education so that they can make the choices they want to make later in life.

And we also see these great commitments when it comes to supporting individual Olympic athletes at the Olympic Games. Therefore, the results achieved by Team India in the Asian Games did not come suddenly, it is due to these many personal initiatives. Reliance Foundation headed by Nita Ambani is at the top.

Will cricket as a discipline return to the Olympics in Los Angeles 2028? Do you see any obstacles? Can ICC do anything?

It is now in the hands of IOC members during the IOC session here in Mumbai. They will vote on this proposal to include cricket in the Olympic program along with the T20 format. They will vote on this proposal to include cricket in the Olympic program along with T20 format. The IOC Executive Board has just approved this proposal and it will be brought to the IOC session. And then we will see the result of the vote. I don’t think the IOC can do anything other than wait for the outcome of the vote.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also pledged to make India host the Olympics. Do you see the 2036 Olympics in India as a possibility?

We are hearing with admiration about several initiatives in India to study possible candidature for the Olympic Games in 2036. Once it becomes a real project, of course, India is welcome to join the process of allocation of the Olympic Games. And that means entering into negotiations with the IOC on how to create the best possible project for such an Olympic Games.

And finally Bach, how can the Olympic Movement help, in an age of conflict?

The mission of the Olympic Movement is an integrated mission. The Olympic Games bring the entire world together in a peaceful competition. It is also a very strong symbol of dialogue and peace. There is no Global South or Global North. There is no big or small country, no developed or developing country. There are similar athletes around the world who respect the same rules and compete under these rules in a peaceful manner.

Also, they live together in the Olympic Village, where they share their food with each other, exchange ideas, where they understand each other better. And this is a strong contribution to the dialogue. For peace you always need dialogue.

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Tags: International Olympic Committee, IOC, Nita Ambani