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Kuala Lumpur: There is no barrier for any country to play host to the Olympic Games, said International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach."If you want to have the Olympic Games here (in Southeast Asian region), you have to be a candidate.

"I hope that one day we can have it here...because Olympics Agenda 2020 offers an opportunity to have an Olympic Games (to be held) in a country, which until now, has not considered (the possibility) to host Olympic Games," Bach said in response to the possibility of having Olympic Games in Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Ja'afar reiterated that Southeast Asian region could host the Olympics and a dual host for the Olympics was a possibility under the Olympics Agenda 2020.

"Doing it all on our own maybe beyond us but under the new Olympic reform agenda, the IOC allow twin bids.

"I do see a joint bid between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore in the future," said Tunku Imran.

However, he noted that it was too late to enter the bid for the 2024 Olympics.

"I have spoken to the Singapore NOC (National Olympic Council) and a few people in the government. It is too late to enter the bid for the 2024 Olympics but we can consider the Games in 2028 or 2032," he added.

According to Tunku Imran, both Malaysia and Singapore had the infrastructure, but only lack of international and world class athletes from a variety of sports. – Bernama