Malaysian Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has urged the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) to reconsider the idea of bidding to host the Olympics in 2028.
OCM President Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Ja’afar recently proposed the idea of collaborating with Singapore to potentially host the competition in 2028, but as far as Khairy is concerned, proper research needs to be done before implementing the idea.
“Even if the whole procedure goes through the OCM, the cost will ultimately be passed down to the government,” Khairy told Harian Metro.
“So proper financial study needs to be done first, before making any decision. In fact, I’d even suggest that we study the financial prospect of hosting the Asian Games prior to even thinking about the Olympics.
“This will cost billions of ringgits and the returns can be volatile. Some hosts get good returns, but the 1976 Olympics in Montreal is an example of how hosting a competition could bring about massive debts.
“This is not a question of whether we’re keen on being a host or not. This is a question of cost and preparations. Even if we have a budget, is it better to spend it on hosting a competition or developing the sporting sector of our country?” he added.
The bidding process for the 2028 Olympics will begin in 2019, and the winner would be announced in 2021.
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