Doha And Riyadh To Face Off In Bids To Host 2030 Asian Games

[GBModerator]

Rival capitals Doha and Riyadh are set to compete to host the Asian Games in 2030, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) announced Thursday. Applications and government support documents were received from Qatar and Saudi Arabia before the Wednesday deadline qualifying the cities as the only two contenders to host the largest multi-sport event after […]

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[stryker]

This reminds me of the race between Moscow and Los Angeles for the 1976 Olympics albeit on a smaller scale and there's no compromise candidate (I thought a city in India might fill that role this time around). Regardless, it's a no brainer. Doha should win in a landslide. Unless Saudi Arabia is going to dramatically liberalize even further (not likely in conservative Riyadh) is the OCA really going to award the Asian Games to a country where there will be gender segregation, strict dress code requirements for women including foreigners, and above all, no alcohol?

[Olympian1010]

Get the popcorn out.

[Ikarus360]

Yikes. Two countries with very dubious reputations (one known for being the worst Theocracy in the world even though they are slighty tuning it down a tiny bit ever since that Prince became the effective ruler, and the other one, while not being as theocratic, know for having shamelessly bought an international even host rights and treating their expats workers like crap). Guess the Asiad size also grew so much out of proportion no one except the big/rich countries in Asia want to host it anymore.

If i had to pick one, maybe Riyadh just to shake things up a bit and because Doha already hosted in 2006. But just because i'm interested in something different, since KSA human rights wise is the worst of the two.