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Japan Times
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
Qatar bids to host 2036 Olympic Games in Doha
Doha is bidding to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games, authorities said on Tuesday, as the wealthy Gulf state of Qatar sets its sights on yet another major sports event to diversify its energy-reliant economy. One of the smallest and wealthiest states in the Gulf, Qatar has already hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Should it be chosen, Qatar would become the first country in the Middle East and North Africa to host the Olympic Games, said Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani. "The official bid submitted by the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games represents a new milestone in Qatar's journey," he said in a statement shared on the official Qatar News Agency. "The bid builds on Qatar's proven track record of successfully hosting major international sporting events, most notably the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022," Sheikh Mohammed added. Amnesty International and other rights groups claimed thousands of migrant workers died in the lead-up to the 2022 tournament, though Doha has said only 37 workers on World Cup projects perished — and only three in work-related accidents. President of the Qatar Olympic Committee Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani said Doha had "made sport a central pillar of our national strategy." "We currently have 95% of the required sports infrastructure in place to host the Games, and we have a comprehensive national plan to ensure 100% readiness of all facilities," he said. Countries are no longer required to make their Olympic bids public. The Games are meant to rotate continents every season. With the 2024, 2028 and 2032 editions set for Europe, North America, and Oceania, there are high chances the 2036 Olympic Games will be held in Asia — or in Africa, which would be a first. Choosing the next host of the games will be the first major project for the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) new president Kirsty Coventry, who last month became the first woman to lead the body.
The Sun
19-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Premier League stadium in frame to host huge summer sporting event as government back UK bid to host
WEST HAM's London Stadium has been given the green light to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships. The 60,000-seater East London arena – which held the Olympics and Paralympics in 2012 – staged the flagship event of track-and-field in 2017. 4 4 And Prime Minister Keir Starmer has given the go-ahead for £45million investment to go towards the delivery of the Worlds in four years' time. An official bid will now be submitted by the Athletic Ventures company to World Athletics before the end of September and a decision on the hosts will be made at the back-end of 2026. Tokyo is the destination for the 2025 Worlds while Beijing is earmarked for 2027. The 2029 World Para Athletics Championships – which is also part of the prospective bid – will not happen in the capital and is likely to take place in either Birmingham or Glasgow. The Government threw its full support behind the bid, claiming it would boost the UK economy. Starmer said: 'Bringing the World Athletics Championships to the UK would be a moment of great national pride, building on our global reputation for hosting memorable sporting events that showcase the very best talent. 'Hosting these championships would not only unlock opportunities for UK athletes but it would inspire the next generation to get involved and pursue their ambitions. 'The event would provide a boost for UK businesses and support jobs as well as bring our communities together. I'm delighted to support the bid.' 4 The Hammers have played Premier League football at the stadium since decamping from the demolished Upton Park in 2017. Seb Coe – World Athletics chief since 2015 – will make the call alongside other Council members in Monaco next year. Yet Britain's double Olympic 1500 metres champion warned that it would be a 'competitive' process and gave no guarantees, despite his nationality and past connection to Team GB, that London would be successful. Coe, 68, said: 'We are starting the process now. It is officially open. It will be competitive. There are a lot of good cities out there. 'The bidding process has been more interactive than it used to be. In the old days, you would sit there waiting for a federation to raise its hands. 4 'We are actually now looking at where do we need to be strategically? What are the things we are trying to achieve? 'There is a much more strategic approach to this and instead of just sitting there saying Federation A, B or C fancies staging a world championships. 'We look at where we need to be and the types of markets we need to access and use them to invigorate the sport, maybe in various parts of the world. 'I'm not going to be choosing winners or losers now but London has some very clear and obvious assets. We are an athletics-loving nation and people turn up.'
