IOC president Bach on future bids: "We are not ready to sell the Olympic Games to the highest bidder"

PARIS. International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach on Friday denied that future Olympics were currently for sale to rich nations such as Qatar or Saudi Arabia. When questioned at his final press conference during the waning hours of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games that are due to close Sunday, Bach said defiantly "we are not ready to sell the Olympic Games to the highest bidder."

"We will allocate the Games to the city or country which is promising to offer the best conditions for the best athletes of the world," he told reporters.

Saudi Arabia and Qatar are known to be in the mix among several nations vying to host the next available Summer Games in 2036. Both nations have been collecting hosting rights to major international events including the FIFA World Cup and the massive Asian Games – and both have set their sights on securing the Olympic Games at the earliest opportunity.

FIFA World Cup 2034 Saudi Arabia™

The news behind the news on the 2030 World Cup is that the 2034 World Cup will go to the sporting rogue state of Saudi Arabia and the chainsaw monster MBS. It sounds weird: FIFA does not act worse in awarding its mega-events than the IOC does with the Olympics, but comparatively transparently.

THE INQUISITORJens Weinreich

Los Angeles is scheduled to host the 2028 Summer Games.

Both were shut out of the IOC’s new secretive bidding process when the organization unexpectedly awarded the 2032 Summer Games edition to Brisbane in 2021 under suspicious circumstances. But now, due to strengthening relations with the IOC, both have become top contenders for 2036.

Olympic Games 2036: Al-Thani vs Ambani. Advantage Qatar.

During the memorable IOC session 2023 in Ambani Town, it looked like the 2036 Olympics would be awarded to India by the IOC with a vengeance. In the meantime, things are looking different. Qatar’s Emir Tamim is trying everything to outdo the Ambanis. The decision could be made as early as 2025.

THE INQUISITORJens Weinreich

Ten reasons why IOC’s Sun King Thomas Bach is causing irreparable damage to the Olympic movement

The IOC president sought to get close to Putin even after the Sochi Doping Games. He fraternised with Xi Jinping. He politicised the 2018 Games in South Korea, driven by the dream of the Nobel Peace Prize. All a miserable failure that dragged the Games deeper into a political quagmire. A commentary.

THE INQUISITORJens Weinreich

Last month the IOC inked a 12-year deal with Saudi Arabia to host and support the newly launched Olympic Esports Games for an undisclosed amount.

State of the IOC Union in the “Mecca of sport” Saudi Arabia

In a blatant shameful session without any democratic intervention, Saudi Arabia was praised as a savior and model country – by a princess and a prince and by IOC members. There were no dissenting voices when the Olympic Esport Games were awarded. Those who remain silent and nod off are also guilty.

THE INQUISITORJens Weinreich

Earlier this year Bach hinted that future Olympic Games could be pushed from the Summer to the autumn due to "climate change," a possible foreshadowing to the awarding of the Games to an Arab nation where the event would already need to take place later in the year due to the sweltering heat.