The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is now considering Indonesia’s new, currently under-construction capital city Nusantara as host for the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games. IOC President Thomas Bach confirmed the fledgling bid Wednesday on the sidelines of the Bali G20 Summit where he addressed world leaders and pleaded for them to “give peace a chance” by keeping sport and politics separate.
Bach also revealed that eight G20 nations have already declared interest in hosting a future Olympic Games opening as early as 2036.
“The IOC warmly welcomes the readiness of Indonesia to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2036 in the new capital of Indonesia Nusantara,” Bach said.
“Having seen a presentation of the Nusantara project and the progress already achieved, I am deeply impressed by the vision of [Indonesian] President [Joko] Widodo to develop this city as a model for sustainable living, with a special emphasis on health and sport.”
A statement released by the IOC Wednesday indicated that the IOC’s Future Host Commission will immediately reach out to bid officials through Indonesian IOC Member Erick Thohir and National Olympic Committee President Raja Sapta Oktohari to launch discussions as part of the IOC’s ongoing dialogue process for interested hosts.
President Widodo who is serving as Chair of the G20 Summit responded to Bach remarks and said “Indonesia is ready to host the biggest sporting event in the world, the Olympics in 2036.”
“I conveyed [to Bach] Indonesia’s readiness to host the Olympics 2036 at the Nusantara Capital City.”
Indonesia siap menjadi tuan rumah penyelenggaraan pesta olahraga terakbar di dunia, Olimpiade pada tahun 2036 mendatang. Indonesia menyiapkan Ibu Kota Nusantara (IKN) sebagai tempatnya. pic.twitter.com/hDnbFI1o3c
— Joko Widodo (@jokowi) November 16, 2022
The president proposed the construction of a new city in 2017 to reduce pressure on overloaded Jakarta that is struggling with heavy traffic, pollution and is literally sinking into the ground due to the extraction of drinking water – causing the city to be prone to flooding. Plans were approved in 2021 and occupancy is expected to begin in 2024.
Nusantara will be located on the east coast of the island of Borneo in what is currently the province of East Kalimantan. The area is considered to be more central to the nation and in a region that is not threatened by earthquakes or volcanoes.
Indonesia joins a growing field of nations interested in hosting a future Games. Last month IOC director general Christophe De Kepper said as many as 10 national Olympic committees are involved in “very different stages” of discussions around hosting. Among those known to be in the mix are India, United Kingdom, Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, South Korea, Mexico and Germany.
The 2036 host city is not expected to be elected until after current IOC President Bach’s term ends in 2025. The next Games are scheduled for Paris in 2024 followed by Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032.
