The IOC had previously approved Mumbai as the host city for the Session at last year's general meeting of IOC members in Beijing.
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The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that the 140th IOC Session will be held in Mumbai, India from October 15 to October 17, 2023. The Session will follow an Executive Board meeting on October 12-13 and an Opening Ceremony on October 14. The IOC had previously approved Mumbai as the host city for the Session at last year’s general meeting of IOC members in Beijing. The Session is expected to cover several important issues, including the election of an Olympic Games host for 2036, the finalization of the program for Los Angeles 2028, and the potential removal of boxing, weightlifting, and modern pentathlon from the Olympic program.
The Session is also expected to finalize the program for Los Angeles 2028, which will include the addition of new sports from a shortlist of nine. An initial program of 28 sports for the Games in five years was approved at last year’s Session in Beijing. However, three long-standing sports – boxing, weightlifting, and modern pentathlon are at risk of losing their place. Boxing is on the brink of being removed from the Olympic program due to persistent governance issues at the International Boxing Association (AIBA) and a deterioration in its relationship with the IOC under Russian President Umar Kremlev. Weightlifting has also been marred by high-profile doping incidents and corruption allegations in recent years.
The International Modern Pentathlon Union has taken the decision to replace riding with the obstacle discipline from its sport. In addition to these issues, the IOC Session has powers including the election of a President and IOC members and the amending of the Olympic Charter. However, there have been concerns that the Session has ceded some of its power, with approval of Executive Board recommendations usually a formality.
The Session was initially expected to finalize a host city for the 2030 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, with Sapporo in Japan viewed as the favorite. However, the Tokyo 2020 corruption scandal dealt a huge blow to Sapporo’s bid, and Vancouver in Canada failed to secure Provincial Government backing. Salt Lake City officials have also admitted that the 2034 Games would be their preference over 2030. A proposal has since emerged from Sweden, but the decision on the host city for the 2030 Winter Olympics and Paralympics has been delayed.
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India, which is interested in hosting the Olympic Games for the first time in 2036, is expected to use the Session as an opportunity to make its case for being awarded the multi-sport event. The country’s bid is likely to cover the state of Gujarat, including its largest city Ahmedabad. However, at least 10 countries are discussing proposals for 2036 with the IOC, so the competition will be tough. India has previously held the IOC Session in New Delhi in 1983. The Session is the IOC’s “supreme organ” and has significant powers, including the election of an Olympic Games host, the election of a President and IOC members, and the amending of the Olympic Charter. The Mumbai Session is expected to be an important event for the IOC and the global sporting community, with several key issues on the agenda.
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