Use Olympics as vehicle to build Gujarat of 2050: IOA director

Ahmedabad:As the state prepares to host the Commonwealth Games (CWG) in 2030 and eyes the Olympics in 2036, the director of the Indian Olympics Academy (IOA) on Tuesday said that the mega sporting event should be utilised as a vehicle for long-term development. Makis Asimakopoulos spoke at the inaugural ceremony of the second edition of the International Olympic Research Conference at Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU)."You need to think bigger than just the Games in 2036. You need to think about 2050. Create a vision such as ‘Gujarat 2050' and use the Olympics as a vehicle to get there, not the games themselves as the final destination," he said.He underlined that sustainability must be at the core of Olympic planning, with all infrastructure and resources developed during the bidding and preparation phase designed for long-term use by local communities.Asimakopoulos added that the countries aspiring to host the Olympic Games need to prioritise creating national federations, not only to organise the games but also to develop coaches and athletes, and ensure integration of Olympic values into the school education system."When you go for the Olympics, you tell the world that you are here not only for sport but also for culture, education and the values of the Olympic movement," he added.Some of the priorities laid out by him included preparing national federations, integrating Olympic values in the school education system, and preparing administrators and local authorities to handle the massive organisational requirements for the games.The four-day conference will focus on education, research and governance related to a sustainable Olympic ecosystem, said organisers.