Are the Olympics too Western?

Paris took a bow on Sunday, after hosting both the Olympics and Paralympics over the last six weeks. 

The next Games will go to Los Angeles in the United States. It will be a record fifth Olympics on U.S. soil. It will also be the third time that LA has played host. The Australian city of Brisbane will take the baton in 2032. Australia has already hosted two Games - first in 1956 and again in 2000. 

Meanwhile, India is still on the sidelines, even though it has the world's biggest population. Likewise, Africa has 1.5 billion people, yet no African country has hosted the Games. 

Will 2036 be a turning point?

This doesn't necessarily mean the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is biased. The IOC has to select host cities that can enhance the Olympic and Paralympic brands. Some developing countries simply don't have the funds and infrastructure to host global sports events. 

But Western nations have organized eight of the last 10 Games - Beijing 2008 and Rio 2016 being the only exceptions. The IOC has said that inclusivity is a key part of its mission, adding 'together' to the famous Olympic motto, 'faster, higher, stronger' in 2021. So, will things change in 2036?

Egypt announced in August that it would bid for those Games. The north African nation opened a stadium around 50 kilometers from Cairo this year. It's indicated that it may build another 20 facilities that could be used for major sports events. 

Meanwhile, India is edging closer to a bid. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said last year that his country would aim to host in 2036. India has some experience with sporting spectacles, hosting the annual IPL cricket tournament as well as the Commonwealth Games in 2010. 

The race to make history

But there are other countries that may be hoping to make some history of their own. A Muslim-majority country has never hosted the Olympics; neither has a state in the Middle East. Qatar bid for the 2032 event, but lost out to Brisbane in Australia. It hosted the FIFA World Cup two years ago and reports suggest it may try to capitalize on that success with a bid for the 2036 Games. 

Indonesia has the world's biggest Muslim population and is now building its new capital, Nusantara. It's not clear if the country's government will bid for the 2036 event, but Indonesian officials met with IOC President Thomas Bach last month. State-owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir posted on social media, saying "Indonesia has the potential to host international sporting events, including the Olympics."

Türkiye may be another contender. It's positioned at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, placing it in a useful timezone for TV networks looking to maximize viewership on both continents. It's also getting ready to test its mettle in a major event, the 2027 European Games. 

The modern Olympics will be 140 years old when the 2036 Games begin. The IOC has not said when it will name the host city. Paris got the nod seven years before the 2024 Games began, while Brisbane had 11 years' notice. 

But whenever the announcement comes, some countries will argue it's not a moment too soon. 

Subscribe to Storyboard: A weekly newsletter bringing you the best of CGTN every Friday