ECB backs India's 2036 Olympic bid, cites 2030 CWG in Ahmedabad as key preparation

The England and Wales Cricket Board has declared its backing for India's ambition to host the 2036 Olympic Games. ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould made the position clear while also highlighting cricket's return to the Olympic programme at the 2028 Los Angeles Games as a significant opportunity for the sport's growth across the world.

According to Dainik Jagran, Gould specifically identified the 2030 Commonwealth Games, set to be held in Ahmedabad, as a valuable rehearsal for the organisational and infrastructure demands that an Olympic hosting effort would place on India. His remarks came during the ongoing seven-match mixed disability cricket series between India and England, which has brought the two boards into close collaboration beyond the playing field.

The Indian Olympic Association formally submitted a Letter of Intent to the International Olympic Committee on October 1, 2024, declaring India's desire to stage the 2036 Games. Ahmedabad has since been confirmed as India's nominated host city for the bid.

The IOC's selection framework for the 2036 Games centres on a Targeted Dialogue phase, after which the Future Host Commission will present its formal recommendations to the IOC Session. The IOC Executive Board will then identify preferred candidates, with final contenders proceeding to a vote at the IOC Session in mid-2029.

India's bid sits at an early point within this framework. The IOC has previously flagged significant fundamental concerns about the bid, and further structured engagement between Indian authorities and the IOC will be required before any formal recommendation can be advanced. No outcome has been determined at this stage.

IOC confirms qualification & format for cricket at Olympics

Gould welcomed the prospect of the mixed disability cricket format being included at the Commonwealth Games, the Asian Games and future editions of the Paralympics. The format was developed around three to four years ago by Ian Martin after he joined the ECB. Martin built a structure that brings together cricketers with varying disability classifications into a single competitive match, rather than separating them by category.

The current India-England series serves as an international showcase for the format. Gould's comments linking it to events such as the 2030 Ahmedabad Commonwealth Games indicate that the ECB views that tournament as a platform for disability cricket's growth alongside the broader conversation about India's Olympic hosting credentials.