Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee, during a news conference in New Delhi on Saturday. (Reuters)

New Delhi: The Indian Olympic Association (IOA), it seems, has quickly recovered from the shock of losing the bid for the 2014 Asian Games.

IOA president Suresh Kalmadi said on Saturday, in the presence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge, that India would bid for the 2020 Olympic Games.

Kalmadi, speaking at the inauguration of Olympic Bhawan, said: “ New Delhi will bid for the 2020 Olympic Games. We seek support of the IOC and Dr Rogge. The bid will be launched in 2011, soon after the Commonwealth Games.”

India will have to submit its bid by September 2011 and the result will only be known in June-July 2013. So far, no other country has made a bid for the 2020 Games.

Rogge feels India has a great chance of winning the bid .

“I am impressed with your Prime Minister’s commitment to sports,” Rogge said. “The IOA, after all, is a dynamic member of the IOC. In cricketing terms, I can say that the IOA is 79 not out in the IOC movement.”

The Prime Minister said that sports should be made a compulsory part of school and college curricula and that a national movement for youth and sports was needed.

The IOC boss, however, made it clear that without the best possible collaboration between the government and the IOA, it would not be possible to host any Games successfully.

“Since you are also going to organise the 2010 Commonwealth Games, World Military Games and hockey World Cup, I am sure India will become a sporting tiger by 2020,” he said.

Rogge was cautious when asked about India’s chances of winning the bid.

“All I can say is that it will be competitive. But, then, bidding for the Games first time is not a disadvantage,” he said. “The problem is there is only one winner. There is no silver and bronze medal.

“India can gain in confidence if it can organise the Commonwealth Games successfully.”

Rogge promised to provide technical support to India in building its infrastructure and high-level training centres on the lines of the Colorado Springs sports centre and Australian Academy of Sports.

He declined to comment when asked about South Korea’s alleged unethical practices during the bid for the 2014 Asian Games.

“The only thing I can say is that it should not become an auction. Quality bidding should be the criterion for awarding the Games.

“I am sure the OCA will reflect and take necessary measures to this effect. The OCA is an autonomous body and the IOC has no control over it but, in principle, the bidding process should not be an auction with the hosting rights going to the highest bidder.”