Doha: Qatar’s athletics chief said yesterday that his organisation would be “more than happy to participate” if the Gulf state decides to make a bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Dahlan Al Hamad, Qatar Athletics Federation (QAF) President and Vice-President of the International Association of Athletics Federation, was speaking at a press conference ahead of the restart of the Diamond League in Doha today.
He said no final decision had been taken by Qatar to bid and that would be made “at the level of the state” but added the QAF was ready to help. “We, as the QAF, once we have received instruction that the government is willing to host, we would be more than happy to participate,” he told reporters.
Qatar has long been rumoured as being ready to make a bid for the 2024 games. Any announcement from Qatar is expected before September. Qatar, which will host the football World Cup in 2022, has failed twice to capture the Olympics, in 2012 and 2016.
Doha did however successfully bid to host the 2019 World Athletics Championships and even if it decides not to go for the 2024 games, bids for future Olympics are expected. Among the cities which have already bid to stage the 2024 games are Rome, Hamburg, Paris and Boston. A final decision on who will host will be taken in 2017.
AFP
