Despite global doubts and criticism, both Doha and Dubai would be primed to deliver a great performance as host of the summer Olympics, a senior Kuwaiti official has said.
Olympic Council of Asia President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah made the remarks while speaking to Reuters ahead of the 17th Asian Games, which open today.
Taking into account global reaction about Qatar as host of the upcoming 2022 World Cup, Al-Sabah said he knew the idea of hosting a summer games in the Gulf would come under fire.
But he added:
“I think even if we host a birthday party there would be such a reaction – That is the tradition of the media. For that we have to respect their thoughts, but we have to trust ourselves that we can deliver a great event.”
Repeated attempts
Doha has bid twice for the summer Olympics, but never made it past the first round for the 2016 and 2020 bids. Not to be deterred, the bid committee said after being turned down in 2012 that it would be trying again for the 2024 bid.
Some 20 other cities around the world, including Dubai, have also expressed interest in bidding for the 2024 Olympics. However, the emirate has since demurred on the idea.
Last summer, the head of strategic planning for the UAE National Olympic Committee was reported as saying that “the government is not ready yet to participate in an Olympic bid,” but added that it may become a contender for a later tournament.
Bidding for the 2024 host city will begin next year, and a final decision will be announced in 2017.
Thoughts?
Yes doha could hold the summer Olympics and why not, but two issues need to be resolved up front.
1. It has to be held in winter
2. It cannot be until 2028 at the earliest
The WC is just one sporting event, the Olympics are many so requires many different types of buildings. You can’t build all that in just two years, especially in Qatar
This is good, holding summer olympics in winter….
It has to be qatar winter. No way the marathon could be run in the summer
I don’t think IOC would approve that
Dare I dream…
“A senior Kuwati said”…I say ” I can bench press 1000 pounds” ..Can I?…NO…..
This is so insane, and surely will never materialize…. but if it should, competing in such strenuous athletic activities outdoors in the heat of a Qatar summer will lead many athletes into a cardiac arrest, similar to the hundreds of poor construction workers who die of cardiac arrest each summer at the ripe old age of 20’s-30’s due to what their employers blame as a “pre-existing condition”. I’m sorry, but in normal conditions, healthy men in their 20’s-30’s do not die of cardiac arrest at the rate experienced in this country….
The manufacturers and distributors of those red coffins used to ship back the bodies of the deceased will be anxiously anticipating the results of Qatar’s Olympics bid.
This is officially ridiculous. But, that said, can you blame a society for thinking they can get an Olympics when they have been rewarded for buying a sporting event already?
Similarly to FIFA, the IOC has been known to accept a few bribes. Qatar can easily win a gold medal in this event!
So who knows! Qatar 2024!
The cost of hosting world class games is moving beyond the realm of acceptable boundaries for the electorate of many countries. So, it would seem inevitable that eventually various gaming events will get awarded to jurisdictions where there is little negative political fallout from the indigenous population.
I think some people have been paid a lot….
With such an awesome education system, it’s no wonder the learning curve is so steep.