Qatar is positioning its bid to host the 2030 Asian Games in the capital as a low-risk and responsible choice during a time of uncertainty.
On Sunday officials submitted the Doha 2030 Asian Games bid book to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) as the nation faces off against bitter geopolitical rival Saudi Arabia and its capital Riyadh. The two bordering Middle Eastern nations are the only remaining contenders in the race to host the second-largest international multi-sport event after the Olympic Games.
The deadline to deliver full bid documents is Sunday (October 4) and Riyadh is expected to confirm its submission soon.
“We are honoured to submit our candidature file to the OCA and present how Doha is ready to serve the OCA and Asia through the delivery of a world-class, sustainable Games,” Doha 2030 and QOC President HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al-Thani said.
“We are committed to ensuring that Doha 2030 is a gateway to a brighter future for Asia.
“We want to deliver a Games that supports development throughout the continent before and after it is hosted. At the heart of our bid is the belief that now more than ever, sport can play an important role in inspiring hope, connecting nations and celebrating our peaceful diversity,” he added.
In a statement, Doha 2030 claimed that the bid is a national priority for Qatar and has the full support of His Highness the Amir and the State of Qatar.
“With all are sports venues and infrastructure already planned or in place, Doha 2030 represents certainty at a time of great uncertainty for Asia and the world,” Doha 2030 CEO and QOC Secretary General HE Jassim Rashid Al-Buenain said.
“We believe that now is a time when low-risk, responsible and sustainable solutions are what is needed.
“Doha 2030 is promising a Games which is low-cost but of the very highest quality.
Doha 2030 Asian Games Bid Releases ‘Your Gateway’ Logo And Slogan
“We are ready to work with our colleagues and partners in Asia once again to ensure that Doha 2030 is a gateway to excellence,” he added.
A Doha 2030 spokesperson claims that the bid book proposes a “compact, sustainable Games, with athletes’ experience placed at its very core.” They further state that travel times between venues and the Athletes’ Village have been minimized and athletes would be located in the heart of the city.
All proposed venues either currently exist or are already planned to be built ahead of 2030.
Doha last hosted the Asian Games in 2006 but the event has never been staged in Saudi Arabia. The two nations are also engaged in bids to host the 2027 Asian Cup Football Tournament.
Doha is set to host the FIFA World Cup in 2022, and has begun preparations to bid for the 2032 Olympic Games.
Plans had been made for the winning city to be declared in November at the Asian Beach Games in Sanya, China but the OCA postponed that event until April 2-10, 2021 as a result of the global Coronavirus pandemic.
The 2018 Asian Games were staged in Jakarta-Palembang, Indonesia and the next event will be held in Hangzhou, China in 2022. Japan will host Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
