Barry Hendricks, president of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), has confirmed that South Africa’s bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games will be formally launched in February.
If successful, the country would make history as the first African nation to host the Olympics, following Brisbane’s turn in 2032. Following his re-election for a fourth term, Hendricks expressed optimism about the bid, citing strong government backing for bringing the Games to the continent.
“February is when we have to present something to the cabinet, and the cabinet must approve it in February,” Hendricks explained. “You must remember there are January local elections taking place next year. When politicians get involved in that, it is all about themselves, so it is all about getting them focused early in the year. To say this is what we’re working on, can you support us.”
“It was triggered by Thomas Bach. He has voiced support for Africa being a hosting country. There are other countries, like Egypt, that have shown interest, and Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Germany, to mention a few. This initial phase is the consultancy phase, where we need to consult with everyone, the federations, government, the President of the country, Southern Africa, Africa. To say we are going to support us in this endeavour,” he added.
South Africa had initially secured the rights to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Durban but later withdrew, with Birmingham stepping in as the replacement. Questions have since arisen about the country’s readiness to host an event of the Olympics’ scale. However, Hendricks reassured sceptics that circumstances have improved.
Hendricks remains confident that SASCOC, with government support, has a robust plan and the necessary infrastructure, including high-performance facilities at key universities, to pursue the bid successfully. –SABC