The 2030 Asian Games yesterday were awarded to Doha after the Qatari capital - also known as the sports capital of the region - won the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) vote in a bid race with Saudi candidate city Riyadh.
The long-awaited announcement was made by OCA President Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah of Kuwait after counting of votes was held at JW Marriot Hotel in the Omani capital.
“I can now announce... that the city who had the highest vote and will host 2030 is Doha,” the OCA President said raising a placard showing Doha printed on it.
This is will be the second time that Doha will get to host the Asian Games. In December 2006, Doha staged the then ‘biggest and best’ Asian Games bringing together more than 10,000 athletes, officials and media folks for the two-week gathering.
The OCA President yesterday also confirmed Riyadh as the host city of the 2034 Asian Games, a decision that will see the biggest multi-discipline sports event being hosted back-to-back in west Asia.
“I will be glad to have two Asian Games editions staged in west Asia,” a beaming Sheikh Ahmad said after announcement.
The Doha 2030 Bid Committee, headed by Chairman H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, was present in Muscat where the entire OCA family joined in for the voting procedure that was briefly halted because of technical glitches.
“This achievement is not attributed to me alone. There is a whole team that worked hard inside and outside the committee. I thank His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and everyone who supported our bid file - from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and all ambassadors abroad,” Sheikh Joaan told media after the announcement.
“It was a long and arduous campaign. I give thanks to God that we will be hosting the Asian Games again. Qatar has become a sign of Asia’s confidence,” he added.
When asked about the young people in the Bid Committee, Sheikh Joaan said the youth is ‘the main reason for the success of the bid file’.
“The ambition of the youth is high and they don’t know what impossible is. I congratulate them for this victory because they are the ones who worked hard and they are the ones who brought us to where we are.
Everyone in the Bid Committee conducted themselves professionally. I also want to congratulate Riyadh who will host the 2034 Asian Games,” Sheikh Joaan said.
Doha’s 2030 campaign was championed by Qatar’s World Champion and Olympic Games hero Mutaz Barshim who joined swimmer Nada Arakji during yesterday’s final presentations.
“It’s a great day. Doha staged the 2006 Asian Games in a memorable show and now we can plan a better show,” a smiling Barshim said after the announcement was made. “I congratulate the Saudi team for being part of the bid race. I give my thanks to Allah. We are happy with this result,” the tall high jumper added.
The OCA’s Evaluation Committee also made a presentation detailing their visits to Doha and Riyadh last month.
The victorious Doha 2030 Bid Committee, led by Qatar Olympic Committee Chairman H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, arriving in Doha after attending the Olympic Council of Asia General Assembly in Muscat, Oman, yesterday.
During the presentation, Doha’s ‘one-city concept’ was roundly appreciated as was the fact that all venues exhibited in the bid file are ‘existing’. Qatar’s ‘consistent contribution in Olympic and sports movement over the last 20 years’ was also lauded. The country’s transportation system was deemed to be ‘state-of-the-art’ by the OCA Evaluation Committee that also praised the ‘high level of security in the country’.
Doha’s ‘zero emission public transport commitment for 2030 Asian Games’ also got a mention in the final report.
Jassim Al Buenain, the CEO of the Doha 2030 Bid Committee, yesterday said: “What we saw today was the harvest of what was built more than 16 years ago. We all remember Doha 2006 and its qualitative leap in the balance of Qatari sport. Today we continue the march. We also seek to make Doha the gateway of the future for all Asian and international athletes.
“The Bid Committee - under Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani - was never satisfied with anything less than excellence and this was the approach of all members of the committee’s team. I thank them very much for their efforts over the past few months.”
Home to some of the world’s best venues, Doha’s Asian Games journey is not only about sports events. The Qatari capital houses the world’s biggest indoor sports facility - the Aspire Academy that sits next to the iconic Khalifa International Stadium (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. On the outskirts Doha, Lusail Sports Arena is an indoor sports venue located in new city Lusail. The venue, which occupies an area of 140,000sq m in size, hosted the 2015 Men’s World Handball Championship. Less than a mile away is the Lusail Shooting Range, a venue that hosted the shooting competitions of the 2006 Asian Games.
Al Shaqab Arena is another venue that has wowed the global equestrian family for the last 10 years or more. Yesterday it was confirmed that Al Shaqab will host the season-opening competition of the 2021 Longines Global Champions Tour and the Global Champions League series. The world’s premier five-star show jumping competitions will kick off in Doha from March 4-6, 2021 at the Longines Arena at Al Shaqab.
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.
Source: thepeninsulaqatar.com