Doha Olympic plans

[reindeer]

I think judging Doha's weather is a bit unfair considering that we have cities like Rome, Madrid and Tokyo wanting to stage the Games in August. In wunderground.com you can compare the temperatures recorded in Athens and Beijing during their Games and the difference between them and typical October weather in Doha isn't that huge especially when you remember that Qatar has an arid desert climate lacking the humidity which in summer is typical especially in East Asia. I still think choosing Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup was a preposterous decision and it may haunt them for some time but their Olympic bid actually has some appeal to it.

[intoronto]

Intoronto1125, EVERYTHING, I need to see criticism with proof and sources to back it (links, pics, videos, news etc). I know for a fact that being a fairly compact city bid transport, finance, security will be excellent.

Of course those will be excellent (minus transportation issues at Doha 2006, but that can be fixed). But can the bid say they have ever won a medal? Can they say women from Qatar have ever competed?

The answer is no!

[thatsnotmypuppy]

2 bronze thus far - 1992 and 2000. Do some research. As I posted before this isn't that much of a big deal. The IOC will be more interested in their hosting capability then the calibre of their athletes. Qatar is building a strong hosting legacy - that will win more votes than a swag of gold medals.

Qatar is also planning on sending their first female athletes to London - however the Asian Games in 2006 did have female events and ran without any issues. Qatar have already ratified the WADA and IOC integration policies in relation to drug testing, open access by athletes from all countries (including Israel) and female athletes. It has not been an ideal situation for female athletes there thus far - but that is changing.

It's time for you to start attacking from another angle as your arguments thus far have been petty and boring.

[oakydoky]

If Doha were awarded the Olympic games, we would really know how corrupt the bidding process for major events is.

I couldn't care less what infrastructure Doha presents. It could have its stadium made of 24-karat gold and I still wouldn't piss on it if was on fire.

Doha is a bigoted Islamic state which practices the barbaric Sharia law. It also has a ban on Israelis entering its state (Qatar) but we can really substitute 'Israeli citizen' to mean what it really means in the Islamic world -- Jew.

Hardly a great place for the world's greatest festival of humanity.

[intoronto]

2 bronze thus far - 1992 and 2000. Do some research. As I posted before this isn't that much of a big deal. The IOC will be more interested in their hosting capability then the calibre of their athletes. Qatar is building a strong hosting legacy - that will win more votes than a swag of gold medals.

Qatar is also planning on sending their first female athletes to London - however the Asian Games in 2006 did have female events and ran without any issues. Qatar have already ratified the WADA and IOC integration policies in relation to drug testing, open access by athletes from all countries (including Israel) and female athletes. It has not been an ideal situation for female athletes there thus far - but that is changing.

It's time for you to start attacking from another angle as your arguments thus far have been petty and boring.

Your boring lol. Telling me to do research? If you read earlier I listed why I don't consider those two medals won by Qatar, as they were from athletes that were bought from Nigeria and Bulgaria. Saying and planning is one thing actually doing it is another.

[Tulsa]

Qatar mustn't host SoG it's too much for a small country after FIfa world cup and moreover Qatar it's a shame after 2022 Fifa vote... I don't want see another event in this country...

[thatsnotmypuppy]

If Doha were awarded the Olympic games, we would really know how corrupt the bidding process for major events is.

I couldn't care less what infrastructure Doha presents. It could have its stadium made of 24-karat gold and I still wouldn't piss on it if was on fire.

Doha is a bigoted Islamic state which practices the barbaric Sharia law. It also has a ban on Israelis entering its state (Qatar) but we can really substitute 'Israeli citizen' to mean what it really means in the Islamic world -- Jew.

Hardly a great place for the world's greatest festival of humanity.

The UK legal system has recognised a limited localised version of Sharia - yet London will still host 2012. Qatar has one of the most moderate legal systems in the Middle East. By your logic I can argue that the USA should never host an Olympics as I find the stripping of your personal rights and the continued escalation of the death penalty (especially in Texas) abhorent. I am sure the IOC and the Qatari government have noted your disdain and it is a pressing concern for them.

Your boring lol. Telling me to do research? If you read earlier I listed why I don't consider those two medals won by Qatar, as they were from athletes that were bought from Nigeria and Bulgaria. Saying and planning is one thing actually doing it is another.

No - I'm not boring - I am accurate and level headed. Not some uber-patriotic noob who thinks just because their home town has won the right to host a third tier event it gives them licence to spew vitriol all over the place. Anyhow - to your comment. Regarding the athletes. Qatar offered them exceptional training facilities (the Aspire centre), easy immigration and financial incentives. EVERY country does this. Are you really saying that no foreign born athlete has been given a faster ride to Canadian citizenship and access to better training and funding based on their sporting potential? Australia has - most noticably Tatiana Grigorieva who promptly won us a silver in the pole vault at Sydney. Dale Begg Smith (while wealthy enough to not need a cash incentive) also got easier access to Australian citizenship and he won gold in Torino and silver in Vancouver while representing us. Qatar is not alone in this practice by a long shot.

Qatar mustn't host SoG it's too much for a small country after FIfa world cup and moreover Qatar it's a shame after 2022 Fifa vote... I don't want see another event in this country...

I feel the same way about South Korea - 1988, 2002, 2011 IAAF, Expo next year and now 2018. If the country has the resources and want to spend big dollars on two weeks of sports why shouldn't they? As Olympic hosting costs rocket out of control we will see more and more of these oil rich countries bidding. At some point they will win the right to host. As for the bribery scandal - Qatar is not alone in that one.

[Rob2012]

Whilst these issues can be explained and some rectified, there's seems to be an accumulation of them which makes a Doha bid hard to support for me.

If it was just the lack of sporting history, or just the issue of heat, or just the large 2022 shadow which looms over the bid, or just the small size of the city compared to virtually all previous hosts, or just issues regarding minority rights, or just the general lack of tourist appeal such a city has compared with the famous cities it's competing with then I may be sympethetic towards it. But all of these things, to a greater or lesser extent are problems or questions they'll need to answer.

We have, of course, yet to see the bids in any level of detail. So arguments for now are going to emotive I guess. Once we see what Doha is offering the IOC, perhaps then the thread will become a bit more analytical and objective.

[intoronto]

No - I'm not boring - I am accurate and level headed. Not some uber-patriotic noob who thinks just because their home town has won the right to host a third tier event it gives them licence to spew vitriol all over the place. Anyhow - to your comment. Regarding the athletes. Qatar offered them exceptional training facilities (the Aspire centre), easy immigration and financial incentives. EVERY country does this. Are you really saying that no foreign born athlete has been given a faster ride to Canadian citizenship and access to better training and funding based on their sporting potential? Australia has - most noticably Tatiana Grigorieva who promptly won us a silver in the pole vault at Sydney. Dale Begg Smith (while wealthy enough to not need a cash incentive) also got easier access to Australian citizenship and he won gold in Torino and silver in Vancouver while representing us. Qatar is not alone in this practice by a long shot.

Sorry but your an idiot. "who thinks just because their home town has won the right to host a third tier event it gives them licence to spew vitriol all over the place." What makes you think I have the right if Toronto won the rights to stage the second biggest multi sporting event (in terms of Olympic ramifications) gives me the right to write stuff here? Seriously your stupidity is alarming and sad. At least Toronto has something to look forward to unlike many cities that will wish to host events like these. Canada is a different story I'll give you are recent example of it not happening, Matt Bonner of the NBA was denied citizenship so he can play for Canada's team. It does happen, but my point is Qatar has solely depended on buying athletes from other countries, Australia has won other medals from home grown talent hasn't it? Yes it has.

[Sir Rols]

Sorry but your an idiot. "who thinks just because their home town has won the right to host a third tier event it gives them licence to spew vitriol all over the place." What makes you think I have the right if Toronto won the rights to stage the second biggest multi sporting event (in terms of Olympic ramifications) gives me the right to write stuff here? Seriously your stupidity is alarming and sad. At least Toronto has something to look forward to unlike many cities that will wish to host events like these. Canada is a different story I'll give you are recent example of it not happening, Matt Bonner of the NBA was denied citizenship so he can play for Canada's team. It does happen, but my point is Qatar has solely depended on buying athletes from other countries, Australia has won other medals from home grown talent hasn't it? Yes it has.

Harken to Puppy's words, mate ... he's one person here who can count IOC members as personal friends.

[FYI]

It completely boggles the mind that the same people that totally trashed Rio's & PyeongChang's chances are so gung-ho about Doha. Other than total bias for whatever reason(s), it doesn't make absolute sense in the least.

[Gangwon]

It completely boggles the mind that the same people that totally trashed Rio's & PyeongChang's chances are so gung-ho about Doha. Other than total bias for whatever reason(s), it doesn't make absolute sense in the least.

I immediately thought the same

[Sir Rols]

If you look back at his posts, I don't think Puppy's being gung-ho for Doha. He's just saying not to write them off so easily, which I think is fair enough. I think Robh is close to the mark in that no single factor discounts Doha totally, but the accumulation of negative points makes it unlikely. I expect they'll come up with a very technically competent, even impressive, bid and will be very surprised if they don't make it to candidate phase. I doubt they'll have popular enthusiasm or support after that, however. The irony is that they're a laughable World Cup host, but would, IMO, be more than capable of an Olympics.

Do I think they'll make the short list? Yes.

Do I think they'll win the hosting? No.

Do I want them to win ? Hell no!

Personally I'm gunning for Istanbul, expecting a formidable challenge from Rome, and hoping Tokyo might make a strong enough showing to set Japan up for the future. But I think it'd be a tactical mistake for any bid team to dismiss Doha's chances out of hand (they can dismiss Baku, though!)

[thatsnotmypuppy]

It completely boggles the mind that the same people that totally trashed Rio's & PyeongChang's chances are so gung-ho about Doha. Other than total bias for whatever reason(s), it doesn't make absolute sense in the least.

I never trashed Rio or PyeongChang.

With Rio I stated the obvious - how can a bid that was given a low score and deemed unsuitable across the board for 2012 suddenly not only be candidate worthy but actually win the right to host with almost the exact same plan? Rio won because the IOC needed a grand gesture after Beijing and frankly any South American bid was going to win. Technically speaking they were not the best bid - however I am happy Rio got them, the infrastructure is progressing nicely and it seems my lingering fears of Rio being unsafe will not come to fruition. Do I think on a level playing field with no emotions in play would they have won the bid? No. Maybe my taco thread was out of line? 10+ pages of tacos was perhaps too much?

Again I said repeatedly I was happy for PC to win as it means all of us foreign visitors will have little problem sourcing tickets for the majority of events. I question South Korea's enthusiasm at a grass roots level as winter sporting events there tend to have moderate to appalling attendence. I also question the future use of many venues. I think most people were surprised by how poorly Annecy went. That was the shocker. Not that PC won. I personally wanted a Munich win but was never bitter or dismissive like many.

My entire point with Doha is that the crimes that so many want to crucify them for are prevalent in ALL the bidding cities - just Doha seems to have a major PR issue. Dear Qatari Olympic Commitee - feel free to message me and I can give you some pointers!! My point is (this goes for all the bidders) wait for the applicant files - then we will know what kind of bid Doha are presenting.

[Lord David]

^^ What about the actual hosting of the 2007 Pan Ams and landing the 2014 World Cup. Surely that convinced the IOC that Rio was ready. 2012 was a risk, since it would only be a mere 5 years since the 2007 Pan Ams, which hadn't even been staged at the time of the 2012 bid.

[gotosy]

QOC President to chair Qatar 2020 Olympic Games

 

DOHA, 03 October 2011 – HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani who is also the President of Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) has issued the decision No: (1) for the year 2011 to appoint the head and members of Qatar 2020 Olympic Games Bid.

The decision stipulates that the QOC President will chair the Qatar 2020 Olympic Games Bid with members, HE Shaikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Vice President, HE Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Vice President and Mrs. Noora Ali Al-Manai, Executive  President.

 

The decision will come into force from date of issuance. Earlier on August 26, 2011, His Highness officially announced the launch of Doha’s campaign as an applicant city for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympics Games.

http://www.qatarolympics.org/topics/index.asp?cu_no=1&item_no=118612&version=1&template_id=560&parent_id=558&temp_type=42&operation_type=8

[Miketaylor]

WoW i love Qatar because Qatar is the most beautiful country and i love to see football stadium very awesome and eye-killing.

[intoronto]

New sentence about Qatar:

"Qatar is an absolute monarchy governed by Sharia law. The government holds no elections and power is assumed through family lineage. There are huge inequalities and massive human rights violations throughout the nation. Qatar also has one of the highest levels of per capita income in the world."

Sums it up.

My link

[Athensfan]

Sums it up perfectly.

They should not host the Games.

[intoronto]

Sums it up perfectly.

They should not host the Games.

Agreed +1!!

[Ikarus360]

Poor Qatar... Nobody loves you.

That's what you get for stealing the World Cup .

_{On all it's seriousness...I wonder if all the bashing would still exist if they never got the WC...}

[deawebo]

Poor Qatar... Nobody loves you.

That's what you get for stealing the World Cup .

_{On all it's seriousness...I wonder if all the bashing would still exist if they never got the WC...}

EXACTLLY if other country would have won (US or Australia) everybody would be saying "ooo poor Qatar they deserve hosting something, lets give them a chance"

[intoronto]

EXACTLLY if other country would have won (US or Australia) everybody would be saying "ooo poor Qatar they deserve hosting something, lets give them a chance"

Not exactly, people would say it was the right decision to award either the USA/Australia the hosting rights.

[deawebo]

Not exactly, people would say it was the right decision to award either the USA/Australia the hosting rights.

But at least Qatar wouldnt be so bad now nobody wants Doha... Even though its a city that its capable...

[Ikarus360]

^^

For me is not the size of the city or country...the horrible summer weather and the very low interest from its citizens on sport events (look at all the empty seats in the Arab Games and in some of the the 2011 Asian Cup matches) is what greatly affects negatively this bid. And these are facts, not having my opinion biased.