8 replies to this topic

[Proposition Joe]

The MENA (Middle East and North Africa) have not yet hosted an Olympic Games despite being a large and significant region of the world. (For the purposes of this discussion, we will be talking about Turkey, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, and the Sudan.]

There are considerable problems with a lot of these countries and hosting the Olympic Games should not be their primary (or even hundredth) concern, but I think its interesting to try to establish what countries and cities would be viable in the future.

Israel and Palestine cannot host an Olympic Games and it should be obvious why. Palestine is currently being occupied and Israel has significant domestic issues in regards to how it treats its ethnic minorities. Furthermore, an Israeli bid to host the Olympics would not be internationally supported; it would be as if Apartheid South Africa attempted to bid for the games, there would be massive international protest. Lebanon (Beirut) is also not a viable candidate do to unrest and dangers resulting from the I/P conflict. In regards to the Arab Spring, many countries are far too unstable to host. Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Syria, and Yemen range from politically uneasy to civil war. None of these states will be able to host the games in the near future let alone the next 50 or so years. Tunisia and Egypt might be able to bid in the middle of the century if a lot of things go right for them, and I mean a lot. Sudan and Bahrain are committing genocides against their ethnic minorities and are thrown right out as potential candidates. Iraq is obviously also unstable and unsuitable because of obvious reasons. Jordan and Morocco have experienced protests, but not on the level of a lot of other countries, with them its a wait and see approach in regards to if they will remain with their current regimes or if future protests might topple their monarchies, but with Algeria they are very much on the brink of instability. Iran is an international pariah and also unstable.

So with that said, the countries that aren't total political catastrophes are Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Oman. However, the list is going to be slimmed down even more when you consider climate issues. Looking at Qatar and Doha (the World Cup and SOG bids), the IOC doesn't want to move the summer games to the winter and FIFA feels as if it isn't safe to hold sporting events in the summer. It seems as though it won't be possible to hold an Olympics in the Persian Gulf regions (Which would rule out Yemen, Iraq, Bahrain, and any coastal Iranian cities in the future). The rich, oil nations of the gulf also extensively use slave labor to construct their developments which also presents a moral issue that can prevent their bids from gaining steam as well.

So the list is now Turkey and Azerbaijan, both of which are bidding for an Summer Olympics in 2020. Frankly, neither of these cities are traditionally considered Middle Eastern cities, especially Istanbul which is more European.

Honestly, a Middle Eastern Olympics doesn't seem like a real possibility until at least the later half of this century unless Istanbul or Baku want to self identify themselves as such.

[intoronto1125]

Not in my lifetime I hope.

[Rols O'Bertilsson]

I have hopes that Istanbul may pull it of this time around. If nothing else, I think it's their best chance to date (though I hesitate to nominate anyone as a frontrunner for 2020 yet).

As for Doha, I've said it before - the WC 2022 may have cruelled their chances, when ironically, i think (technically at least) they're far better suited for an Olympics than a WC.

I don't see that there's any great rush or urgency for the games to go to the region, though.

[baron-pierreIV]

It would then be an Islampics! New word for the day!!

[deawebo]

Istanbul or Casablanca! My only choices...

[deawebo]

Sir Rols, on 21 December 2011 - 05:59 PM, said:

As for Doha, I've said it before - the WC 2022 may have cruelled their chances, when ironically, i think (technically at least) they're far better suited for an Olympics than a WC.

AGREE! That's exactlly my point of view, Doha would have been a bit (A BIT) better for SOG than a WC, a WC its ridiculus... :S

[mr OF]

deawebo, on 21 December 2011 - 09:46 PM, said:

Istanbul or Casablanca! My only choices...

True that! I think they are the best option for an African game after Durban. And in this region I think only Istanbul, and maybe Doha, matches them... =)

[Texas]

Istanbul, Doha, Casablanca, Rabat, Dubai and Baku are the only ones likely.

Besides, all of the other countries would likely be forced to cover up their female athletes.

[SkiFreak]

Sprints would be just like this: