DOHA (Kashmir English): Qatar has submitted official bid to host 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games, authorities said on Tuesday.
The rich Gulf state bids to host yet another major sport event to diversify its energy-reliant economy. One of the smallest and wealthiest states in the Gulf region, Qatar had already hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup successfully.
Should it be chosen, the Kingdom would become the first nation in the Middle East and North Africa to host the Olympic Games, according to Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani.
“The official bid submitted by the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games represents a new milestone in Qatar’s journey,” he said in a statement shared on the official Qatar News Agency.
“The bid builds on Qatar’s proven track record of successfully hosting major international sporting events, most notably the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022,” Sheikh Mohammed added.
Amnesty International and other rights groups claimed thousands of migrant workers died in the lead-up to the 2022 football tournament, though Doha has challenged the number, saying only 37 workers on World Cup projects perished — and only three in work-related accidents.
Qatar Olympic Committee
Qatar Olympic Committee President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani said Doha had “made sport a central pillar of our national strategy”.
“We currently have 95 per cent of the required sports infrastructure in place to host the Games, and we have a comprehensive national plan to ensure 100pc readiness of all facilities,” he said.
With the 2024, 2028, and 2032 editions set for Europe, North America, and Oceania, there are high chances the 2036 Olympic Games will be hosted by Asia — or Africa, which would be a first.
Choosing the host of 2036 games will be the first major task for the new president of International Olympic Committee, Kirsty Coventry, who last month became the first woman to lead the body.
