Doha dreams
OLYMPICS is said to be the pinnacle of sports glory and hosting the showpiece event is every country’s dream. Even more so for Qatar, a nation driven by sporting ambitions. Doha twice bid for the Games, only to lose out on both occasions.
While the Qatari capital was one of the applicant cities for 2016 Games, they failed to cross the first hurdle for the next edition.
Adverse weather condition was said to be one of the main reasons for Doha’s failed bid.
But in recent times, the powers-that-be are inclined to think of changing the Olympic window to winter so as to facilitate bids from such countries which face the ‘climate challenge’.
Asked if the Summer Olympics could be moved to winter if Doha again bids for it, International Association of Athletics Federations President Sebastian Coe, during his recent visit to Doha, said, “We’ve to be realistic about this. We’ve to recognise that the world wants sport and it isn’t always going to be bidding from areas where there aren’t going to be challenges. And those challenges aren’t just geographical or climatic in nature, but they’re social, cultural as well as political.”
And as if a sign of endorsment of Doha’s candidacy for a future bid, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach also gave thumbs-up to its dreams.
“The procedure for the next Olympic Games is under way and I can imagine one day Doha would be a candidate for hosting the Olympics,” Bach said during the Association of National Olympic Committees’ General Assembly in Doha.
Though it is too early to jump into a conclusion, going by Doha’s ambitious plans, it is only a matter of time before the city again bids for the Olympics.
The Emir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has a vision to put Qatar on top of global sports map.
Qatar Olympic Committee Secretary General Dr Thani Abdulrahman Al Kuwari had recently said, “Our vision is to host the Olympics, one day.”
With Tokyo set to host the 2020 Games, it is very likely that the 2024 edition may go to a European country and 2028 to one from America.
In that scenario, 2032 would be the ideal target for the country which is set to host the World Athletics Championships in two years’ time and the greatest football show on earth in 2022.