Jakarta, September 2: Indonesia needs to keep its momentum and not fall into a "black hole" after the Asian Games 2018 if it wants to host the 2032 Olympics, IOC chief Thomas Bach said on Sunday (September 2).
Bach said Indonesia had the right ingredients to host the world's biggest multi-sports event, following President Joko Widodo's surprise announcement of a bid. The Southeast Asian country has defied expectations to hold a mainly smooth Asian Games, which has a bumper 17,000 athletes and officials, and 40 sports.
Asian Games special page | Medals tally
"With the success of this Asian Games Indonesia has laid a very solid foundation for such a candidature," Bach, the International Olympic Committee president, said ahead of the closing ceremony. "You can see the ingredients are there, you see a young, enthusiastic nation. Passionate about sports, working with high efficiency in the organisation... so, I think it will be a very strong candidature."
"I think what is important now for Indonesia is keep the momentum of this Games," he added. "So for you now not to fall into a black hole the moment after everybody has left."
What has impressed Thomas Bach @Olympics President the most with respect to the success of #AsianGames2018 is the people of Indonesia themselves ,a great combination of hospitality and efficiency.Thereby we feel confident we're able to be the host of 2032 Olympics @olympicchannel pic.twitter.com/4TTXHEgcKe
— Bali Promotion Center💅 (@translatorbali) September 1, 2018
The Asian Games is by far the biggest sports event held in Indonesia. The 2011 Southeast Games in the country were marked by corruption scandals, delays and two deaths in a stadium stampede.
But Bach said he was encouraged that Indonesia's government would maintain enthusiasm after the Games, partly by encouraging more people to play sports. He added that eSports, which debuted as a demonstration sport, had a number of "obstacles to be overcome" before it can be considered for the Olympics.
The meeting between @realDonaldTrump and #ThomasBach is going to be one of those that enter Olympic myth....The only time I can remember where no details - not even a picture - were released afterwards. Wonder if Bach has a picture of it on his wall at the Lausanne Palace Hotel? https://t.co/bkVVTM7NE4
— Duncan Mackay (@Duncan_ITG) August 30, 2018
eSports' lack of a unified body, the commercial interests of games manufacturers and violent or adult content were all problems, he said. "Some people still have some doubts whether it's really sport, what is being done there," said Bach. "We have to draw very clear red line saying that no game which is contrary to the Olympic values can have a place in the Olympic podium," he added.