Olympic Council Of Asia Secretary Says Bach Visit Is Boost For Indian Sports

Olympic Council of Asia Secretary-General Randhir Singh said that IOC President Thomas Bach's visit to India "will boost the profile of Olympic sports in the country regardless of whether it bids for the Games," according to C. Rajshekhar Rao of the AP. Randhir made the comments ahead of Bach's arrival and planned meeting on Monday with PM Narendra Modi "amid speculation that India may want to host the Olympics in 2024." Randhir: "We've been hearing about the government being keen to bid for the Games but I think we have to wait and see how things go. I think the IOC chief's visit will boost sports federations and bring them in the limelight, which too is good for sports." India's chances of landing the hosting rights "are considered slim because Rome, Boston and Hamburg are already declared candidates for 2024 and a host of other cities including Paris are expected to join the race" (AP, 4/26).