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The IOC has confirmed India, Germany, Qatar, Hungary, Türkiye, South Africa and South Korea as the countries currently in the race for 2036.

Each country is trying to answer a different question: Why us?

1. INDIA — Sell the scale. India's pitch is about bringing the Olympics to one of the worlds largest and youngest populations for the first time. Ahmedabad is at the centre of the proposal, with a large sports enclave, multiple venue clusters and a focus on long-term infrastructure and legacy.
   The message is essentially: Come to India and experience sport at unprecedented scale.

2. GERMANY — Sell the legacy. Germanys Munich proposal is leaning heavily on what already exists. The 1972 Olympic Park remains central, while the concept emphasises compactness, existing facilities, short distances and sustainability.
   The pitch: Dont build an Olympic city. Reimagine one that already has Olympic DNA.

3. QATAR — Sell certainty. Qatar has perhaps the most obvious infrastructure argument. After the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Doha can point to world-class venues, transport, hotels and event-delivery experience.
   The message: We have already shown the world we can deliver mega-events.

4. HUNGARY — Sell efficiency. Budapests proposition is strikingly different. The idea being discussed is to stage the Games largely without building a new generation of giant stadiums.That makes the pitch less about spectacle and more about practicality, existing infrastructure and responsible spending.
   Pitch - A Games that doesn't need to reinvent the city.

5. TÜRKIYE — Sell geography. Istanbul has tried five times before. This is its sixth attempt.Its greatest asset remains its location: a city connecting Europe and Asia, backed by a growing sports infrastructure base and extensive experience in international events. Türkiyes pitch is almost geographical in nature: Put the Olympics at the crossroads of two continents.

6. SOUTH AFRICA — Sell history. South Africa has perhaps the most powerful emotional proposition.If successful, it would become the first African country to host a Summer Olympics.The proposed multi-city thinking around Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban also allows the country to spread infrastructure and economic impact.
   The pitch: Its Africas turn.

7. SOUTH KOREA — Sell experience.South Korea already knows how to stage the Olympics. Seoul hosted the Summer Games in 1988 and PyeongChang hosted the Winter Games in 2018.The Korean proposition is therefore built around experience, existing infrastructure, technology and sustainability, with Jeonju/North Jeolla at the centre of the current bid.
   The message: We have done this before. And we know how to do it better.

Seven countries. Seven propositions..That is what makes the 2036 race fascinating.

I tried to compare India's sporting performance at the 1982 Asian Games in Delhi, when India was the host, with the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. At first glance, it is difficult to draw a simple conclusion.The numbers show progress in some areas, stagnation or unevenness in others, and a significant change in the character of Indias sporting performance.

So rather than saying India has improved or India has not improved, I thought it would be more interesting to simply put the two editions side by side -10 comparisons

1. Indian contingent -1982: 828 athletes
   2026: 495 athletes
   Fewer athletes in 2026 — but this was a more selective contingent.

2. Sports entered - 1982: 21 sports
   2026: 36 sports
   Indias competitive footprint is considerably wider.

3. Total medals -1982: 57
   2026: 85.
   More medals — but still below Indias record 106 at Hangzhou 2023.

4. Gold medals -1982: 13
   2026: 21
   The number of gold medals is higher, although Indias position relative to Asias leading sporting nations remains a separate question.

5. Silver medals -1982: 19
   2026: 27
   Another increase, but not one that by itself tells us about the quality or depth of the sporting system.

6. Bronze medals -1982: 25
   2026: 37
   The increase is visible here too — but bronze medals can also indicate that a sport has entered the competitive zone without necessarily reaching sustained medal-winning strength.

7. Sports in which India won medals -1982: 13 sports
   2026: 21 sports
   This may be one of the more interesting changes.Indias medals are coming from a broader range of sports than they did in 1982.

8. Dependence on athletics -1982: Athletics contributed 21 of Indias 57 medals — around 37%.2026:
   Athletics contributed 24 of Indias 85 medals — around 28%.
   Athletics remains a major contributor, but Indias overall medal portfolio is less concentrated.

9. Medals relative to the size of the contingent- 1982: approximately 6.9 medals per 100 athlete - 2026: approximately 17.2 medals per 100 athletes
   This is perhaps the most striking numerical difference — although it should not be treated as a definitive measure of sporting efficiency because team sizes, qualification standards and the sports programme have changed.

10. Indias position in Asia 1982: 5th
    2026: 4th
    A one-position movement over 44 years.But the competitive landscape has also changed substantially during those four decades, particularly with the continued dominance of China, Japan and South Korea.

So, what do these 10 numbers tell us?

What's your conclusion?