Doha bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics
Overview | |
---|---|
Games of the XXXI Olympiad XV Paralympic Games | |
Winner: Rio de Janeiro Runner-up: Madrid Shortlist: Tokyo · Chicago | |
Details | |
City | Doha, Qatar |
NOC | Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) |
Evaluation | |
IOC score | 6.9 |
Previous Games hosted | |
None | |
Decision | |
Result | Not shortlisted. |
Doha's bid was eliminated from consideration when it failed to make the Candidate city shortlist on June 4, 2008.
Had Doha been chosen to host the games, they were to be held between October 14 and October 30.[2] The Paralympics were to be held between November 9 and November 21.
Bid details
Hassan Ali Bin Ali was named the chairman of the Doha 2016 Olympic Bid Committee.
The centerpiece of the bid was the expansion of the Aspire Zone sports center, which also houses many other facilities. The Aspire Zone hosted the 2006 Asian Games.[6] Doha is also planning a new paralympic stadium,[7] although it is uncertain if it will still be constructed since the end of the bid. The Qatar government committed to full financial guarantees that will cover any cost overruns.[2] With sport as a raison d'etre,
The bid had support from the Gulf Cooperation Council, solidifying regional support from the neighboring states of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Bid leader Bin Ali stated, "Our aim is to build support for the bid which will be a bid that the whole Arab world can be proud of."[8] 86% of people in Doha City and region support the Olympic bid and 95% of residents were aware of the bid,[2] matching most of the other bid cities.
Venues
The Qataris planned to utilize 70% pre-existing venues, most from the 2006 Asian Games. Six venues would be temporary and four will require new construction. Hassan plans to leave legacy buildings with a new Olympic Village and Media Center. Also, much new construction as part of the Qatar long-term development plan will result.[2]
The Olympic Village was to be a US$1.94 billion 67-hectare development project designed for up to 18,000 athletes. The complex will form the shape of a dove.[2]
Aspire Zone (Doha Sports City)
Aspire Zone is (approximately) a 240ha precinct that houses an international standard sport stadium, medical facilities, education services and sport academy, mosque, sports club, retail areas and parklands. There are also residential and hotel facilities. It is located approximately 8 km from Doha's Central Business District. Aspire Zone is represented with strong landmarks that will be iconic in their design and function.
Khalifa International Stadium
Aspire Sports Hall
The ASPIRE Sports Hall is multi-purpose sports hall with a wide range of corollaries. The sports hall features a gymnasium with an audience seating capacity of 200 persons, judo and karate area with a viewer's seating capacity of 150 persons, a fencing hall with a spectators seating capacity of 150 persons, a table tennis hall with squash court with an audience seating capacity of 500 persons, Olympic swimming and diving pools, a football court with a seating capacity of 200 persons and a host of other amenities. The total seating capacity of the sports hall is 3000. The support services include restaurants, changing rooms, cafeterias, shops museum, and technical support areas etc.
Hamad Aquatic Centre
The Hamad Aquatic Centre was expanded to offer ultra-modern facilities for water sports. The aquatic complex presents extensive facilities for swimming, diving, synchronized swimming and water polo.
Women's Sports Indoor Hall
This Women's Sports Hall is designed to provide indoor facilities for
Aspire Tower
The 300 m-high Aspire Zone Tower, is the
Transport Infrastructure
The
With the imminent expansion of
Although there is currently no railway network in Qatar, plans are under way, in particular as part of the construction of the new city of Lusail. Lusail's plans include both an underground and aboveground train network, which will be fully integrated with a new rail system in Doha itself. In addition, it plans to develop a new water-taxi service to run along the Doha coastline.
Public transport in
Accommodations
The Qatari hotel industry has made impressive progress in the past few years, capitalizing on the country's new role as a key business destination, hosting numerous international conferences and forums. The hotel industry has also benefited from the Qatari government's ongoing campaign to boost tourism to the country.
Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) and Qatar National Hotels Company (QNHC) have set up a number of tourist facilities, recreational centers, exhibition halls, luxurious hotels, shopping centers, sports centers and museums.
Logo and slogan
The
The Doha 2016
Outlook and conclusion
rich nation, Qatar should have no trouble funding the games.Some negative factors included the hot temperatures in Doha in the summer (up to 45 °C), which would be difficult for the athletes and spectators.[3] Doha proposed to host the games in mid to late October. While strictly outside the IOC's parameters, late games are not without precedent. The, 1964, Tokyo Games and the Mexico City Games were held in October, the Sydney Games and the Seoul Games were held in September and October, the Melbourne Games were held in November and December. The Paralympics would then be held in November.[2] The Qataris promoted a message of peace with their bid, and while Qatar is a stable country, greater regional concerns over safety and terrorism may have hampered votes.[3]
The overall small size of Doha and Qatar (330,000 and 960,000 respectively) would have made it one of the smallest locations in modern history to host the games.
Doha's bid ended on June 4, 2008, when it failed to make the Candidate city shortlist. Doha was widely regarded as a wildcard candidate which had true potential to host. Ultimately, the IOC went with a shortlist of four candidates. In August 2011, Doha announced it would be bidding for the 2020 Summer Olympics however Doha failed to become a Candidate City for the 2020 Games. Following Doha's failure to secure as a candidate city list for the Olympics, Qatar has successfully won the hosting rights for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, with four stadiums being held in Doha area and surroundings, including Khalifa International Stadium.
Future Sport Events
One of the most active cities in its region in terms of sporting events, Doha has already been chosen to host some significant future events:
- 2010 Gymnasiad
- 2011 Asian Indoor Games
- 2011 AFC Asian Cup[6]
- 2022 FIFA World Cup
Doha and Qatar have also bid, or are planning to bid for numerous other events, which includes the 123rd IOC Session.
See also
External links
References
- ^ a b Tokyo 2016, Doha 2016 Respond To IOC Seminar
- ^ a b c d e f g Doha 2016 Releases Olympic Bid Questionnaire Response
- ^ a b c d e Phillip Hersh, Chicago Tribune, "Chicago in 8-City Race for Olympics", Sept 13, 2007
- ^ a b Banners And Billboards Featuring Children Promote Doha 2016 Olympic Bid
- ^ Doha 2016 Unveils Youth Ambassador Programme
- ^ a b c Doha To Launch Serious 2016 Bid – Chairman Appointed
- ^ Doha 2016 Bid To Launch This Month
- ^ Doha 2016 Gets Support Of GGC Countries Heads Of State
- ^ Green Transport For Doha 2016 Summer Games
- ^ a b Doha Launches 2016 Bid, Unveils Logo, Tagline, Website Archived 2007-10-29 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Doha 2016 Bid Excites Contractors