India's 2036 Olympics Bid Under Threat After Bangladesh's T20 World Cup Fiasco

Bangladesh’s eleventh-hour removal from the 2026 men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka and Pakistan’s threat of boycotting the tournament in ‘solidarity’ with it could have implications beyond cricket for the sub-continent. According to The Guardian

, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is unlikely to award the Games to India ‘if there was a danger of other countries boycotting’ because of it.

Bangladesh cited security concerns and refused to travel to India, leaving only weeks until the marquee event. The ICC rejected the claims, saying it had conducted an independent security check and found no credible threat. After three weeks of an impasse, in which Bangladesh’s requests to move its games to Sri Lanka or switch groups with other

teams were denied, Scotland replaced it at the World Cup.

According to the report, which cited an IOC source, India would need to demonstrate tangible progress in its diplomatic and sporting relationships with Pakistan and Bangladesh to be viewed as a credible candidate to host the Olympics. The relations are sour beyond sports, with diplomatic tensions aplenty.

The Olympic Charter requires sports bodies to function autonomously, with full control over their rules and governance and without interference from political authorities. This principle is reinforced by Rule 50.2, which bans any political or religious expression at the Olympic Games.

The IOC’s strict interpretation of these rules was underlined in October, when Indonesia was effectively frozen out of discussions over hosting future Olympic events. The move followed Jakarta’s refusal to issue visas to the Israeli team for the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. The decision also ended Indonesia’s early ambitions to bid for the 2036 Games.

The inclusion of cricket is part of the IOC’s strategy to engage the huge Indian market, but the report said that the body doesn’t want it at ‘any cost’.

India has confirmed its willingness to hold the 2036 Games in Ahmedabad and is facing stiff competition from around the world, the strongest from Qatar. The cricketing issue would only raise the importance of India’s successful and smooth hosting of the 2030 Commonwealth Games.