Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Qatar’s heir apparent, gave a 10-minute pitch to the Association of National Olympic Committees in Moscow, Russia yesterday to host the 2020 Summer Olympics in Doha.

Answering the question of how Qatar would be able to hold a major sporting event amid its searing summer heat, Al Thani proposed to hold the games in October. “You can say we have finally taken the heat out of the Doha heat issue,” he said.

Here are the key points of his pitch:

• Qatar would hold the Summer Olympics from October 2-18, the Paralympics would be from November 4-15
• The bid is “on behalf of the entire Middle East and North Africa region” and would create new sporting and commercial opportunities
• It would expand opportunities for female athletes in Qatar and across the Middle East 
• 91% of the venues are already built or planned and budgeted for
• Qatar has an internationally-accessible geographic location
• The Games would be “compact and affordable,” and will “have something for everyone”

Read up on the Doha 2020 bid at doha2020.qa

The International Olympic Committee executive committee decides in late May whether to drop any of the bidding cities. The winner of the 2020 Olympic bid, however, won’t be announced until September 2013.

Credit: Photo courtesy of Qatar News Agency