Qatar could be the first Middle East nation to host the Olympics in the near future.
This comes after the host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup announced that they are also interested to host the Olympics, possibly in 2032.
Qatar Olympic committee said they have submitted a request to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to join the phase of “continuous dialogue” about hosting a future Games.
“It is this proven track-record and wealth of experience, along with our desire to use sport to promote peace and cultural exchange, that will form the basis of our discussions with the Commission,” Qatar Olympic Committee President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani said in a statement.
This will be Qatar’s third attempt after unsuccessful bid in 2016 and 2020 Olympics.
The IOC has changed the bidding process in recent years to reduce costs and make it more attractive to interested cities, who now enter into an initial discussion with the IOC to see whether the Olympics would be a fit for them.
“The IOC… welcomes the interest recently expressed by Qatar, which is the latest country to enter the new dialogue phase,” the International Olympic Committee said in a statement.
“These are ongoing, non-committal discussions that are not necessarily related to a specific edition of the Olympic Games or the Youth Olympic Games, and are an opportunity to explore a project without committing extensive time and resources.”
There is no deadline for a decision to be made, though usually cities are given at least seven years in advance to prepare for hosting the Games.
Several other countries have expressed an interest for the 2032 summer Olympics including Indonesia, Australia, India and Germany, among others.
Credit: Football Tribe Malaysia
