DOHA: Qatar has expressed interest in bidding to host the 2032 Olympic Games, in what, if its bid is accepted, would be the first time a Middle Eastern nation organises the world’s biggest sporting event.
The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) Monday formally submitted to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) its request to join the non-committal “Continuous Dialogue” to host a future edition of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, as early as 2032. Qatar delivered the request via an official letter to the IOC’s headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Qatar unsuccessfully bid to host the 2016 and 2020 games.
India, Australia’s Queensland state, the Chinese city of Shanghai and a potential joint bid between South and North Korea are also being touted for the 2032 games, according to AFP news agency.
Commenting on the announcement, QOC president Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani said: “Never before has an Olympic Games been held in the Middle East. The Olympic rings are a symbol of peace, unity and hope for people around the world, including the people of our region. Today’s announcement marks the beginning of a meaningful dialogue with the IOC’s Future Host Commission to explore our interest further and identify how the Olympic Games can support Qatar’s long-term development goals.
“For many years, sport has been a major contributor to our nation’s development. From athletics to cycling, gymnastics to football, tennis to volleyball, Qatar has earned the reputation of a world-class destination for major sporting events. It is this proven track-record and wealth of experience, along with our desire to use sport to promote peace and cultural exchange, that will form the basis of our discussions with the Commission.”
Over the last decade, Qatar has undergone a rapid transformation as part of National Vision 2030. Qatar has developed state-of-the-art sporting venues and transportation networks as part of its preparations to host the FIFA 2022 World Cup. Hosting a future edition of the Olympic and Paralympic Games would further accelerate Qatar’s human, economic, social, and environmental development.
As part of the IOC’s Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms, the IOC instituted a new approach to hosting future Olympic Games through the establishment of a permanent Future Host Commission. This approach is based on partnership, flexibility and sustainability, ensuring that future Games will fully align with the long-term development plans of host cities/regions and leave lasting legacies. These reforms have encouraged the Qatar Olympic Committee to express their interest in hosting future Olympic Games.
“Qatar has been an important event destination for sports and this is very much bound up in country strategy,” Simon Chadwick, director of the Centre for the Eurasian Sport Industry, told Al Jazeera.
“Having failed in 2020 to attract the Olympics, I think it was inevitable that sooner or later we’d get another bid coming along,” Chadwick added.
“You have to keep in mind Qatar will have the infrastructure in place and will be looking for a legacy from the hosting of the FIFA World Cup in 2022.”
