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Bangladesh T20 exclusion may hurt India’s 2036 Olympic bid
India’s deteriorating diplomatic ties with Bangladesh and the latter's subsequent exclusion from the upcoming T20 World Cup could severely jeopardize New Delhi's bid to host the 2036 Olympics, according to a report by The Guardian.
The British newspaper suggests that while the International Cricket Council (ICC) has been accommodating of India's political stances, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) maintains a much stricter “zero tolerance’ policy regarding political interference in sports.
The controversy centers on the recent exclusion of Bangladesh from the T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
Following a dispute that began with pacer Mustafizur Rahman being dropped from the IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders, tensions escalated to the point where the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) requested a venue change due to security concerns.
The ICC rejected the request, and Bangladesh’s refusal to play in India led to their replacement by Scotland.
The Guardian report notes that the ICC, currently chaired by Jay Shah—son of India’s Home Minister Amit Shah—has historically bent to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
The report highlights how the ICC accommodated India by moving their Champions Trophy matches against Pakistan to neutral venues.
However, the IOC operates differently. An IOC source told the publication that awarding the Games to a host nation where there is a risk of boycotts by other countries is “unimaginable.”
The report cited the recent example of Indonesia, which was effectively removed from the Olympic hosting race after refusing visas to the Israeli gymnastics team.
With Ahmedabad vying against Qatar for the 2036 Games, the report concludes that India must provide strong evidence of normalized sporting relations with neighbors like Pakistan and Bangladesh to be considered a viable host, reports UNB.