India Set to Become First-Time Olympics Sponsor, Marking Growing Influence

By Graham Dunbar

Updated: August 8, 2024

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) anticipates securing its first-ever
Indian sponsor soon, reflecting the country’s increasing influence within the
Olympic movement as it eyes a bid to host the 2036 Summer Games.

Key Points:

• Potential Indian Sponsor: The IOC currently has 15
  top-tier partners, which contributed nearly $740 million last year.
  Anne-Sophie Voumard, IOC’s marketing director, expressed optimism about
  onboarding an Indian sponsor soon, emphasizing India’s rising GDP and market
  potential.
• 2036 Olympics Bid: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
  announced India’s intention to bid for the 2036 Olympics during a speech in
  Mumbai last year. Nita Ambani, a prominent figure in Indian business and
  wife of Mukesh Ambani, is an IOC member and has been actively involved in
  promoting India’s Olympic aspirations.
• India House at Paris 2024: The Reliance charitable
  foundation, headed by Nita Ambani, is hosting an India House hospitality
  venue in Paris. This initiative serves as a platform to showcase India’s
  cultural heritage and sporting ambitions.
• IOC Sponsorship Dynamics: The IOC’s TOP (The Olympic
  Partner) program, historically dominated by US and Japanese companies, is
  set to see potential interest from Indian firms. This development aligns
  with the IOC’s strategy of diversifying its sponsorship base, particularly
  as deals with current sponsors like Toyota, Bridgestone, and Panasonic are
  up for renewal.
• Global Interest: Apart from India, Qatar and Saudi
  Arabia are also showing interest in IOC sponsorship deals. Qatar, which aims
  to host the 2036 Olympics in Doha, and Saudi Arabia, with a 12-year deal for
  the Esport Olympic Games, are keen to enhance their global sports presence.

Future Olympic Hosts:

• 2026 Winter Games: Milan and northern Italy ski resorts
• 2028 Summer Games: Los Angeles, USA
• 2030 Winter Games: French Alps
• 2032 Summer Games: Brisbane, Australia
• 2034 Winter Games: Salt Lake City, USA

Additional Information:

• The IOC’s updated selection process allows Olympic leaders to pick
  preferred candidates at any time, which can lead to exclusive negotiations
  and confirmatory votes by IOC members.

Related Coverage:

• 
  AP Summer Olympics Hub

Author: Graham Dunbar is an Associated Press sports news
reporter based in Geneva, Switzerland. His work focuses on the governing bodies,
institutions, and politics of international sports.

For more details, read the full article on

AP News.