SASCOC shift focus to 2040 after failed 2036 Olympic Games bid attempt

The national Olympic body will instead shift its focus to bidding for smaller international events, including world volleyball championships, before preparing a bid for the 2040 Olympic Games.

South Africa was among eleven countries, including Morocco and Egypt, that had expressed interest in hosting the 2036 Games, but Hendricks says they missed the deadline to submit the necessary bid documents to the IOC. 

"We've not been able to get, through the Ministry [of Sport, Arts and Culture], cabinet sanction, so we're going to put that on hold for now, and we can look at 2040," revealed Hendricks.

"But then we also need to look at other events that we need [in order] to encourage international organisations to bring their events to South Africa.

"For example, when we were in Lausanne, we spoke to World Volleyball, and they want to bring their professional league here, as well as their international championships, but also their general assembly."

ICYMI: SASCOC to launch hosting bid for 2036 Olympic Games

Hendricks outlined the three key phases required for a country to host the Olympic Games, explaining the process in detail, as he confirmed SA failed to compile the necessary bidding documents in time.

"There are three phases to applying for the Olympics – the very first one is the consultative phase and getting the buy-in, which we've missed," he confirmed.

"But it has given us valuable insight as to the process, so we knew in our mind that it's either 2036 or 2040, and that's something we can look at.

"There are 11 countries vying for 2036, and most of them have already put bids, so they've been working well before we even came on board, and we feel very comfortable with that."