Tunis, July 27, (dpa/GNA) – Qatar aims to bid for the 2032 Olympics and has submitted an according letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), according to a statement on Monday.
Qatar’s National Olympic Committee (NOC) said that in the letter it is requesting “to join the non-committal ‘Continuous Dialogue’ to host a future edition of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, as early as 2032.”
The Gulf state of Qatar has over the years landed several major sports events, such as the 2006 Asian Games, the 2022 football World Cup and world championships in handball (2015), boxing (2015) cycling (2016), gymnastics (2018), athletics (2019) and swimming (2023).
“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,” NOC president Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani said in the statement.
“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.”
He named sports “a major contributor to our nation’s development,” and the statement said that hosting Olympics “would further accelerate Qatar’s human, economic, social, and environmental development.”
However, Qatar has been criticised over human rights issues over the years, including the treatment of migrant workers. Empty seats at the athletics worlds and the hot climate which makes competition difficult have also led to questions from abroad.
Others interested in the 2032 Games are Australia’s Brisbane and Germany’s Rhine/Ruhr region, and India. The IOC is expected to announce the host in 2025.
GNA