Qatar is coming out of the woodwork. The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) announced this Tuesday that it is officially positioning itself to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This is no surprise, given that the country was among the many potential candidates recently mentioned. The QOC is thus embarking on the dialogue process desired by the IOC with potential future hosts. This marks the beginning of long months of discussions, during which it will have to convince and seduce.
The culmination of a long journey
Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani presented this bid as a further step in Qatar's establishment as a leading sporting power. The emirate has already demonstrated its capabilities in organizing major events. It has hosted three Formula 1 Grand Prix races, the World Championships in athletics, handball, judo, road cycling, swimming, and table tennis, the 2006 Asian Games, and most importantly, the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It will also host the 2027 Basketball World Cup and the 2030 Asian Games. Bidding for the Olympic Games is therefore the logical next step.
« We have made sport a central pillar of our national strategy ", underlines Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, chairman of the QOC and the bid committee, praising the relevance of sport as " an engine of development and a platform for promoting mutual understanding and peace among nations " He also mentioned " the power of sport to bring people and cultures together and to empower individuals and unleash human potential, especially among young people " Key words that will certainly resonate within the Olympic Movement.
“Building a lasting legacy”
With the experience accumulated over the past twenty years, Qatar currently has " 95% of the sports infrastructure needed to host the Games ", argues Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani. The country's expertise is well established, and it provides guarantees in areas such as security and logistics. More than 80% of the world's population is within a six-hour flight from Doha, emphasizes the QOC. The country's small size could also represent an asset in terms of travel and sustainability.
« This plan is rooted in a long-term vision to build a lasting social, economic, and environmental legacy. Our goal goes beyond simply hosting a successful event; we aim to deliver a holistic experience that reinforces the values of inclusion, sustainability, and international collaboration. ", insists the president of the QOC. The Olympic and Paralympic Games have never been organized in the Middle East. The election of Kirsty Coventry, the first African president in the history of the IOC, sent a strong message regarding universality: the Olympic Movement must represent the entire world. But Qatar will not be the only one able to mobilize this argument, which will also apply to India or Indonesia. The exact rules of this long-distance race remain to be known since Kirsty Coventry launched a working group on the election of future hosts last month, at the request of IOC members, who expressed their wish to play a more active role in the process.
