India’s ambitious bid to host the Olympic Games, with Ahmedabad positioned as the proposed host city, has encountered significant challenges following a critical review by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). A recent high-level meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, between Indian sports officials and IOC representatives revealed pressing concerns about governance failures, doping issues, and underwhelming sporting performance—factors that could jeopardize India’s Olympic aspirations.
While India officially confirmed Ahmedabad as its candidate city, the IOC has put the entire host city selection process on hold. The new IOC President, Kirsty Coventry, has initiated a comprehensive review of the Games awarding mechanism, giving India more time but also signaling that reform is necessary before any bid can move forward.
At the heart of the IOC’s concerns is the internal dysfunction within the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). The prolonged standoff between IOA President PT Usha and her Executive Council has led to administrative paralysis, including a failure to appoint a CEO, a requirement under the IOC charter. As a result, India’s eligibility for IOC athlete welfare grants has been suspended since October 2024.
Equally troubling is India’s record on anti-doping enforcement. According to the Athletics Integrity Unit, India ranked second globally—behind only Kenya—in the number of track and field doping violations up to May 2025. The World Anti-Doping Agency’s 2023 report also highlighted India’s disproportionately high positivity rate among tested athletes, including minors. Several national-level coaches, including a Dronacharya award recipient, have faced provisional suspensions, indicating deeper structural issues in India’s sports training and ethics culture.
Despite efforts to boost sports infrastructure and performance through initiatives like the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and Khelo India, India’s overall Olympic medal tally remains modest. This performance shortfall, combined with institutional failures, has added to IOC skepticism.
The IOC’s decision to temporarily freeze host city selection serves as both a setback and an opportunity for India. The pause provides time to implement necessary reforms, but also raises the bar for compliance. Key action points include resolving IOA’s leadership disputes, reinstating frozen IOC grants, strengthening anti-doping mechanisms through NADA and NDTL, and delivering tangible improvements in athlete performance.
India now faces a critical 12 to 18-month period in which it must demonstrate genuine reform. The fate of its Olympic hosting ambitions hinges not just on infrastructure or intent, but on restoring credibility, transparency, and sporting excellence on the global stage.