IOC boss Thomas Bach talks one-on-one with Stuff about what it'll take for New Zealand to be host, and about rugby at the Games.

The most powerful man in the Olympic movement not only believes New Zealand is capable of hosting the Games in the future, but he has challenged the country to put together a bid his organisation cannot say no to.

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach spoke to media in Auckland on Tuesday to launch a two-day visit to the country and surprised all in attendance, including high-ranking Kiwi officials, with an emphatic endorsement of New Zealand's potential as a host nation.

The bidding process has been greatly simplified and pared back under the Bach-led Agenda 2020 – a document outlining the future vision for the Games – and the German lawyer noted the success of the 2011 Rugby World Cup in suggesting there was now no impediment to New Zealand considering hosting a Games at some point.

Getty Images IOC President Thomas Bach shared a traditional Maori greeting of a hongi with Nettie Norman as he started his two-day visit.

"New Zealand is a great sports country," Bach said. "You not only have successful athletes, you are somehow incorporating the Olympic spirit, the passion for sport. It would be very well appreciated if New Zealand would look into hosting the Olympic Games one day.

"The Olympic Agenda is opening doors for countries other than traditional hosts. You cannot reserve the right to host the Olympic Games to just 20 countries in the world.

"The Olympic Games are universal; therefore we should open the doors and the windows. The change in mentality we have started. In the past we were putting conditions … now we're asking potential host countries, 'how do you think the Olympic Games would fit best into your long-term planning socially, financially and ecologically?' Then give us your idea and we can discuss together whether we can make it happen."

Bach then repeated his invitation to New Zealand to at least look at the possibility when he talked about a host mentality that was now "very open", providing certain minimum requirements were met.

"Not only me, but many IOC members would appreciate very much if New Zealand would look into this opportunity."

The IOC boss was asked about potential hurdles, such as size of stadia and New Zealand's prohibitive time zone, but continued to preach an "anything is possible" doctrine.

"This is one of the points where we are the most flexible," he said of the need for mega-stadia. "The new approach is about legacy. We do not want to see stadiums being built with capacities which are of no use any more afterwards

"For the athletes the most important [thing] is not the number of spectators, it is that the stadium is packed with fan. There is great flexibility either with temporary stands or reducing the size."

In terms of potential time-zone issues, Bach said this was not taken into account when negotiating major broadcast deals and thus would not have a significant negative impact on any potential bid.

Bach is clearly looking to expand the Olympic empire under a major mentality shift at HQ, having already given a strong indication that a Queensland bid for the 2028 Games would be viewed favourably.

"This is a decision that has to come from New Zealand," he said. "The only offer I can make is that if New Zealand is ready to look into it we are ready in the early stages to put all of our information at the service of New Zealand to have a knowledge transfer."

New Zealand Olympic Committee president Mike Stanley, who was sitting beside Bach as he made his declaration, was not exactly dancing cart-wheels. Instead, he offered a more realistic appraisal of the country's chance of putting a bid together for an event that would still cost "in the billions, if not the tens of billions"..

"There's a question about whether New Zealand wants to go down that path at all," he said. "No matter how the Games change in their delivery, they're still a significant undertaking, still a mega-event.

"Sporting infrastructure, transport infrastructure, all these things have to be delivered to provide the level of service they require. It's something we haven't seen within the scope of New Zealand.

"Our priority has always been we'll look after the top group of athletes and see they have the best preparation they can to compete on the world stage … also we'd have to be responsible and say 'is it in the best interests of New Zealand socially and economically?' That would provide the answer."

At the very least, Bach's bold assertion has given the Kiwi Olympic committee, now ensconced in their stately Parnell headquarters, plenty to think about.