With eyes on 2036 Olympics bid, Ministry steps in to prevent repeat of India Open lapses
Officials from sports ministry and Sports Authority of India will be at venues of international tournaments in India to ensure everything runs smoothly to avoid any slip-ups as it targets hosting the 2036 Olympics
An official of the sports ministry and one from the Sports Authority of India will be at venues hosting international tournaments in India to ensure there are no infrastructure related or organisational issues that could give a bad name and impact India’s chances to successfully bid for the 2036 Olympics. A sports ministry source confirmed that an internal note mandating the presence of two officials to oversee and observe the preparations and conduct of an international event has been circulated in the aftermath of the negative publicity because of bird poop on courts, the spotting of monkey in the stands and criticism of the lack of hygiene during the India Open badminton tournament held in the national capital last month.
Despite hosting events, including the Asian Aquatics Championships, the World Para Athletics Championships, the FIH Pro-League, the ISSF Junior World Cup, the UCI Pune Grand Tour and the BWF Junior World Championships, the sports ministry wants to ensure international events remain incident free as it targets hosting the Olympics with Qatar also a serious contender for the 2036 edition.
“India has successfully hosted some major events and officials of international federations have had positive things to say. However, incidents like dog bites during the World Para Athletics Championships and the criticism during the India Open is undoing all the hard work. The sports ministry wants to make sure there is no scope for criticism when India hosts events. Hence the ministry has decided that two officials will be at events to oversee preparations. The only aim is to ensure there is not even a minor slip-up,” a sports ministry source said.
Though respective national sports federations are in-charge when India hosts an international event, when something goes wrong the sports ministry also gets discredited.
The 2026 India Open had been shifted from KD Jadhav Indoor hall to IG Indoor Stadium, which is a much bigger arena within the same complex. The IG Indoor Stadium is the venue for the BWF World Championships to be held in New Delhi in August.
The BWF backed the IG Stadium as the venue for the World Championships but at the same time acknowledged issues regarding ‘general cleanliness, hygiene and animal control’ based on feedback from the players. Among the players who were critical of conditions at the India Open was Danish shuttler Mia Blichfeldt. Denmark’s men’s World No.3 Anton Antonsen said he had pulled out of the India Open because of poor air quality in the capital.
In October, a Kenyan coach and a Japanese assistant coach, who are in New Delhi for the 12th World Para Athletics Championships, were bitten by dogs at the warm-up track of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
Story continues below this ad
“India can host international events successfully, but the recent incidents the sports ministry believes were blown out of proportion and got a lot of coverage. But the ministry realizes there were issues. The ministry wants the right picture to be portrayed about India’s capability as hosts,” the source added.
Nihal Koshie is an Associate Editor and sports writer at The Indian Express. He is best known for his in-depth reporting and investigative work that often explores the intersection of sports and social issues. He is also a key member of the sports desk, which is based out of The Indian Express' office in Noida.
Professional Background
Role: Associate Editor (Sports) at The Indian Express.
Key Achievements: He is a two-time winner of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism. He won the RNG award for 'Sports Journalism' for 2019 for his exclusive interview and follow up stories with sprinter Dutee Chand, who became the first Indian athlete to say she was in a same-sex relationship. He won his second RNG award in the 'Investigative Reporting' for 2023 for a series of exclusive stories related to sexual harassment charges levelled against WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh by the country's top women wrestlers.
Expertise: While he covers major sports, he is particularly recognized for his extensive reporting on Athletics, investigative stories and long-form news features.
Recent Notable Topics & Articles (Late 2025)
Nihal Koshie’s recent work reflects a focus on investigative and human-interest stories
Recent investigative pieces: He recently wrote a profile of an Indian teenager serving a jail sentence in Kenya after being embroiled in a doping scandal while chasing "Olympic dreams."
Wrestling: He continues to track the political and social fallout of the Indian wrestling protests, including the recent public appearances of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and the political career of wrestler Vinesh Phogat.
Recent long-form features: The story of the rise of Kranti Gaud, the young fast bowler who was a key member of the ICC women's World Cup-winning team; The physics and science behind modern cricket bats
Podcast Presence
He is a guest and contributor to the "Game Time" podcast by The Indian Express, where he provides technical and social analysis of current sporting events.
Experience: 24+ years
Previous experience: Times of India (2001-2005), Daily News and Analysis (2005 to 2010)
Nihal joined The Indian Express in May, 2010
Social Media
X ( formerly Twitter) : @nkoshie
You can follow his latest work and full archive on his official author profile. ... Read More
