Doha Bids for the Olympics

An interview with Hassan Ali Bin Ali, Chairman, Doha 2016 Applicant City

better understanding of the world and that the facilities will meet the long-term needs of the youth of the rest of the world will gain a true pic- community and further advance sport in Doha. ture of Arab culture and hospitality. “Celebrating A new multi-purpose sports complex is also be- Change” means overcoming barriers to cultures ing built at the Shafallah Center for Children with and people. Awarding Doha the 2016 Games Special Needs and will be used as the boxing would unleash the power of the Olympic move- venue for the games. ment and peaceful sporting competition to create The new slalom facility will be the focal understanding, hope, and change that could unite point for an extreme sports complex and water the entire region with the rest of the world. park being created as part of the Aspire Sports The last edition of the Asian Games City. The new international swimming center were held in Qatar. How did that help pre- will be an adaptable structure that normally pare you for the Olympic Games? seats 4,000 spectators but is designed to be eas- Doha has steadily risen to become a prom- ily modified with additional temporary seating inent host for international sporting events. In for the games and then downsized again after particular, Doha has an impressive track record the games are finished. in hosting multi-sport events and is becoming There are also six temporary venues in our a leader in organizing them. We currently host 2016 Games plan, including the cycling venues an array of international sporting events on an and the beach volleyball venue. In each case, the annual basis including ATP Men’s tennis, FIM venue is developed around world-class competi- Hassan Ali Bin Ali Moto GP, WTA Women’s tennis, European PGA tion facilities. Doha 2016 also proposes temporary Qatar Masters Tournament, UCI Tour of Qatar, adaptations for many of the permanent facilities Editors’ Note Hassan Ali Bin Ali is a leading ITTF Pro Tour, IAAF Super Grand Prix, FEI Show to increase spectator capacity for the duration of Qatari business figure and has interests in con­ Jumping competition and for the first time this the games, while the venues themselves will be struction, pharmaceuticals, the energy sector, re­ year, we will host the WTA Championships in kept at an appropriate size for legacy use. tail, and manufacturing. He has worked closely November. The recent Doha 2006 Asian Games You’ve noted that it was the vision of with Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser were widely regarded as the best ever. They His Highness The Emir that initiated Qatar’s Al Missned in building the Shafallah Center for are the second largest multi-sport event in the interest in hosting the 2016 Olympics. Children with Special Needs. He is also actively in­ world after the Olympic Games. In 2006, Doha Qatar’s visionary Emir, His Highness Sheikh volved in disabled sports, leading the way in devel­ hosted 8,000 athletes competing in 39 sports Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, has set the coun- oping purpose-built facilities for disabled athletes. over a 15-day period. The opening Ceremony try on a monumental modernization program to Ali Bin Ali was a competitive tennis and squash received international acclaim. This has given us become a role model for economic and social player in his youth, was the driving force in es­ great confidence that we can successfully host transformation in the region. The peaceful coun- tablishing national tennis squads in Qatar, and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. try of Qatar is now an outward-looking country founded the Qatar Tennis Federation. He was one What facilities does Qatar already offer that embraces free speech and debate. It is fast of the first Qataris to be educated abroad, both in for the 2016 Olympic Games? becoming a global meeting place, welcoming ma- the United Kingdom and Lebanon. In Doha, we already have a world-class jor political and religious figures from a variety of sporting infrastructure. Two of our stadiums were different backgrounds and faiths. Doha is build- Organization Brief Doha 2016 is an or­ acknowledged to be among the best in the world ing a world-class knowledge economy focus- ganization and campaign formed to further in a global contest organized by the International ing on education, sports, medicine, science, and the goal of Qatar hosting the 2016 Olympic Association for Sports Leisure Facilities and spon- technology, all while respecting our rich and vi- and Paralympic Games, which would assist sored by the International Olympic Committee. brant history and culture. The Heir Apparent, His in changing perceptions about the Arab world Our plan will develop our sporting infrastructure Highness Sheikh Tameem, is Qatar’s member of and culture, as well as showing how the city even further by establishing a new state-of-the- the International Olympic Committee. It was his has maintained its traditional desert culture of art regional center for elite – and youth – sport. original vision and initiative, following the highly generosity and hospitality, while embracing the More than 70 percent of the proposed venues in successful 2006 Asian Games in Doha, which is modern world with first-class business, techno­ our Games plan already exist and have served as the inspiration and the impetus behind this bid. logical, and sports facilities. sites for major international competitions. Are there any other projects you would Doha 2016 proposes to use four new venues like to highlight? What are Qatar’s primary selling points to be for the 2016 Games, all of which are already part We have several huge infrastructure proj- the host country for the Olympics in 2016? of the Qatar Olympic Committee’s Master Plan for ects under way, which will happen irrespective Our vision is to promote a peaceful society Venue Development. The QOC plans to create a of our bid. These include the Qatar Foundation, and to extend the Olympic ideals to millions of new swimming center at Al-Gharaffa Club, a new Lusail City, and the New Doha International new hearts, especially to the world’s youth. By slalom facility for canoe/kayak at Aspire, and the Airport [NDIA]. They will all be completed in doing this, we hope that Arab youth will gain a new Qatar Dome at the Qatar Club. Each of these the next five to seven years.• volume 31, number 2 posted with permission. copyright © 2008, leaders magazine, inc. Leaders 99