Doha - A dream Games destination

Published on: 16 December 2020

MUSCAT: Since the early 90s, the Qatari capital has promised and delivered top-class sports events. In the last two decades or more, Doha has transformed its image as a city with love of events to becoming the sports capital of the region. Today in the coastal city of Muscat, the Qatari capital will know if it has won the bid race against Riyadh to host the 2030 Asian Games for the second time. 

After delivering the biggest and ‘best’ Asian Games in 2006 - when Doha hosted more than 10,000 athletes, officials and media folks for over two weeks - the rapidly developing city is aiming higher yet again. 

Starting from an opening ceremony staged at the iconic Khalifa International Stadium (KIS) - a venue for the 2022 FIFA World Cup matches - to the final day of activities of the 2006 Asiad, Doha regaled sports fans with a show to remember. 

Qatar's World champion and an Olympic Games hero in high jump Mutaz Barshim is in no doubt Doha has covered all bases to stage the 2030 Asian Games. 


Doha 2030 Asian Games' hospitality lounge – the Doha Majlis showcases what will be offer in 10 years' time.

“Our bid file is very strong and covers all important aspects to persuade the members of the General Assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) to grant Doha the rights to host the Asian Games. God Willing, we can celebrate another big news,” Barshim said in Muscat yesterday. “Doha has used sports events to bring fans together. We saw this clearly when Doha hosted the 2006 Asian Games,” Barshim added.

Doha is not only about sports events. The Qatari capital houses the world’s biggest indoor sports facility - the Aspire Academy that sits next to KIS and FINA-approved Hamad Aquatic Complex. 

The Aspetar Sports Medicine Hospital - which employees the world’s best hands in dealing with sports injuries and conducts rehab programs for athletes and individuals seeking top-notch medical care - is also in the neighbourhood of Aspire Academy. 

“We are very fortunate to have such facilities for athletes - whether it is for training or recovering from injuries is concerned,” Barshim said yesterday. 

“At Aspire Academy, we have learned how to deliver the best possible performance on the pitch. I want to share this message with the world and with the Olympic Council of Asia,” the tall athlete added. 

“I urge the Asian family to come to Doha and experience what I just said,” he said with a smile. 

Qatar’s rallying and shooting star Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah also expressed similar sentiments earlier in the week. 

“I had the honour of competing in Doha 2006 and the atmosphere of celebration and unity I experienced during the Games still lives with me. It was not my most successful Asian Games, but it was one that provides some of my fondest memories,” Al Attiyah, a bronze medallist in skeet shooting at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, said. 

“Since then I have seen how Doha has made significant investment into sport and hosted hundreds of sports events, training camps and more. With all this experience and expertise I have no doubt that Doha can host an even better Asian Games in 2030 to the one I experienced in 2006. But one thing that will be the same will be that all of Asia is made to feel valued and welcomed,” the three-time Dakar Rally champion said.

Meanwhile during its 74th meeting in Muscat, the Executive Committee of the OCA yesterday reviewed the reports of the visit of the Evaluation Committee to the cities of Doha and Riyadh.

The meeting included visual presentations and reports from the Evaluation Committee of its visits to the two cities, the latest equipment, preparations and the stages underlined by the candidate cities. The meeting included presenting a set of reports for the vice-presidents of the OCA for East Asia, East and South Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, and West Asia, in addition to the reports of the chairmen of the auxiliary committees of the OCA.

Sheikh Ahmad Fahad Al Ahmad Al Sabah, Chairman of the OCA, said in a statement: “We are happy with this gathering in Oman for the first meeting in the continent after the events were halted since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the end of a difficult year, the OCA is very happy to bring the Olympic movement in Asia together for our General Assembly.”

He added:“We would like to thank the National Olympic Committees who have been able to travel to Muscat for our important meeting, and also we understand the complicated situation for other NOCs who have not been able to attend in person due to travel restrictions and health protocols in various countries and regions. We are confident we will have a smooth and efficient meeting and that we will continue to show our unity and cooperation in such unique circumstances.”

The vote will be conducted online, even for the NOCs who will attend the meeting at the JW Marriott Hotel in Muscat, and the OCA has been conducting a series of tests to familiarise the NOC delegates with the voting procedure.

Looking ahead to the vote, Sheikh Ahmad added: “We are very fortunate to have two excellent bids from two of the greatest capital cities in the region.

“Our OCA Evaluation Committee visited the two cities in November and were very impressed with the hosting plans, the dynamic programmes in place and the world-class sports infrastructure, as well as the sheer passion and excitement to host our Asian Games. We know that our Asian Games will be in very safe hands in 2030, and I would like to thank the two bidding cities for their efforts and their enthusiasm.”

The Asian Games was first held in New Delhi, India in 1951, although the roots of international multi-sport events in Asia date back to the first Oriental Championships in Manila, Philippines in 1913. The 19th Asian Games will take place in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province in eastern China, from September 10-25, 2022 and the 20th Asian Games will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan from September 19 to October 4, 2026. Sheikh Ahmad concluded: “The OCA is very satisfied with our sports calendar for the next decade as we will have the next three host cities for the Asian Games in place."

Source: thepeninsulaqatar.com

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