Qatar's appetite is decidedly insatiable when it comes to sport. The Secretary General of its National Olympic Committee (QOC), Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, took advantage of a meeting of the executive committee of the AIPS (International Sports Press Association) in Doha to set out the country's ambitions in terms of event organizations. He limited himself to saying only the essentials. But his speech made a strong impression.

According to Sheikh Al Thani's accounts, Qatar will have hosted no less than 2013 major international sports competitions in 40. That is, on average, a little more than three events per month. Hard to beat. But the Gulf state wants more. Always more. Its objective, written in full: to exceed the bar of 50 international competitions in 2030. “On this date, explains the Secretary General of the QOC, we want to host a major sporting event for each of the 52 weeks of the year. »

For this, there is no shortage of money, nor of infrastructure. And Qatar has demonstrated in recent years its ability to convince international organizations. But the country nevertheless plans to strengthen its offer by building a Games Center, a water park, an Education city and an Olympic Park. A vast system intended to complement the already pharaonic facilities of the Aspire Center, where training and competition structures, boarding school, medical laboratory and research center coexist.

Ultimately, Qatar's ambition remains the same: the Summer Games. Doga failed twice in a row, for 2016 and then 2020. But Sheikh Al Thani said it during the AIPS meeting: “We will be a candidate again. » Will Doha apply for the 2024 Games, or will it wait for the 2028 Games? The answer is not yet known. But it could be clear: both.