Mumbai: The Ipsos Global Advisor Survey in 33 countries on the Paris Olympic Games 2024, displays polarised views among Indians for those interested (53 per cent) in watching the games versus those uninterested in watching the game (47 per cent). Though the interest in the Paris games was significantly high among most Asian countries, particularly in China (86 per cent), Thailand (77 per cent), Indonesia (75 per cent) and Philippines (71 per cent).
The global sporting event is being held from 26 July to 11 August 2024.
Favourite games
Among all games, global citizens (28 per cent) and urban Indians (28 per cent) are most interested in watching football/ soccer. Other games Indians have evinced interest in, included, badminton (18 per cent), volleyball (14 per cent), tennis (14 per cent), cycling (13 per cent), boxing (11 per cent), basketball (11 per cent), among others. While global citizens were keen to watch athletics (26 per cent), gymnastics (24 per cent), aquatics (18 per cent), volleyball (17 per cent) etc. A whole array of sporting events causing frenzy among sports enthusiasts.
Elucidating on the findings of the survey, Ipsos India CEO Amit Adarkar said, “While the Olympic Games in Paris is a global sporting event, India has not bagged many medals in the past, just a trickle, except in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics which was held 3 years ago in 2021 (one year delay due to Covid19), when India bagged seven medals – one gold, two silver and four bronze medals – the highest ever medal tally. The stickiness is not as profound as it is for cricket. But the good news is that India is sending a large contingent of 171 athletes to Paris, with 72 athletes making their Olympics debut and there is a huge hope around them to potentially get a haul of medallions.”
Positive sentiment for the global sporting event, all pervasive
Interestingly, Indians were seen to have a positive sentiment for the Olympics rating it high across a bunch of parameters: for instance, three in four Indians (75 per cent), held the view that the Paris Olympics is a good opportunity for the world to come together; 76 per cent Indians said the Olympics will bring the country together; 75 per cent Indians said seeing their Olympics team made them proud of their country; though 75 per cent urban Indians also felt that there was too much display of nationalism during the Olympics; 76 per cent Indians were of the view that govt funding should support our athletes are the Olympics; further there was a strong support among Indians for global events like the Olympics to be held despite the climate impact of travel and construction, with 76 per cent Indians endorsing this view. 74 per cent Indians also believed that Paris Olympics should go ahead regardless of the world’s economy and conflicts, for example wars in Ukraine and the Middle East; and 76 per cent of the urban Indians polled build a strong case for Olympics, believing Olympics inspire tomorrow’s generation to participate in sports.
“The global sporting event of Olympics unifies the world, reaffirming the spirit of nationalism, especially just watching one’s contingent gives goose bumps. And let’s not forget, one gets to watch the best of breed players vying for the much-coveted medals. Now that we are closer to the event, with the event kicking off this week, more number of sports enthusiasts are likely to watch the event, with all the amplified hype built up at the local level,” added Adarkar.
Check out the entire survey here:
