vanavond op de corniche (nu in de krant)
UNDERLINING Qatar’s aspirations for the future, HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani will publicly launch Doha’s bid for the 2016 Olympics at a gala ceremony on the Corniche this evening. The function begins at 6pm near the Sheraton Hotel roundabout.
HH Sheikh Tamim will also unveil the bid’s tagline, logo and new website on the occasion which will be marked by fireworks and a performance by an aerial stunt team.
Doha, Rio De Janerio, Chicago, Baku, Prague, Tokyo and Madrid are the seven cities bidding for the 2016 sporting showpiece, with Qatar’s capital the only candidate from the Arab world –- a fact that could play a major role when the winner is picked in Copenhagen on October 2, 2009.
Qatar has already announced it would be going full steam ahead throughout the entire bid process leading up to Copenhagen.
“The Doha 2016 bid is an extremely serious bid. We are absolutely ready to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2016,” bid committee chairman Hassan Ali bin Ali told journalists.
“Hosting the Games in Doha in 2016 would bring the Olympic flame to the Arabic-speaking world for the first time, extending the Olympic ideals to millions of new hearts and minds. Never has the ‘Olympic family’ had an opportunity to make such a difference to the peoples of the world.”
The bid chairman said Doha getting the Olympics would be an historic event for the Arab world because it would “unleash the power of the Olympic movement and sport to create understanding, hope and change that could unite the entire region with the rest of the world.”
The novelty of Doha being the first city from the Arab world hoping to host the Games is the central theme of Qatar’s bid, much like it was when Qatar decided to go for the 2006 Asian Games.
This fact was touched upon by Mike Lee, the director of communications for the London 2012 bid, during a presentation for the local media yesterday.
“The Olympics is all about celebrating change –- the change in the Arab world,” Lee, who is an adviser to the Doha 2016 bid, said, praising Qatar’s focus on the development of institutions, especially in the field of education.
Lee also cited the example of London’s successful bid as against Paris’s failed one to stress his point.
“The Paris bid failed because it merely stressed upon why it needed the Games whereas London’s emphasis was mostly on “why the Games needed London.”
In the end, London’s logic clinched the issue when the winning city was decided in Singapore two years ago.
Lee said various aspects of the London bid, including the biggest park building projects undertaken in 150 years, the city’s passion for sports and the impact the Olympics would have on the future generations all went towards its success.
“There shouldn’t be any white elephants in terms of legacy and sustainability. This is very important,” he said.
Lee said he saw many similarities between the London and Doha bids.
“For one, the London bid had the full backing of the prime minister and the mayor of London. With the crown prince of Qatar himself attending tomorrow’s launch, it sends out a strong message.”
Bob Stiles, another bid expert who has worked in various capacities for Sydney 2000, Sochi 2014 and several FIFA World Cups, said the entire build-up right up to the decision day is an intense process during which no candidate city could afford any slip-ups.
The tension, he said, could be unbearable, but the real work actually starts after the bid is won.
“You wake up to all the celebrations about your city winning the bid and suddenly you realise, “there’s seven years of hard work ahead.”’
Qatar has already announced it would be building a dedicated stadium for the physically challenged irrespective of whether or not the Olympic Games come to Doha.
“Our vision for the Games is focused on the shared future of the world’s youth, particularly disadvantaged either economically, or through disability. Our bid aims to engage and inspire Arab youth to better understand the wider world and the youth of the rest of the world to gain a true picture of Arab culture and hospitality,” the bid committee chairman said.
With most of the infrastructure already in place – Qatar having hosted the Asian Games successfully in 2006 – there are no major plans as of now to go for new facilities for the Olympics, except for a velodrome and a baseball stadium, if the game is included as a discipline in 2016.
The capacity of the 50,000 seater Khalifa Stadium will be increased to 60,000 according to the IOC’s requirement and some other venues will also be upgraded.
However, a new Athletes Village will have to be built for the event.
HH Sheikh Tamim will also unveil the bid’s tagline, logo and new website on the occasion which will be marked by fireworks and a performance by an aerial stunt team.
Doha, Rio De Janerio, Chicago, Baku, Prague, Tokyo and Madrid are the seven cities bidding for the 2016 sporting showpiece, with Qatar’s capital the only candidate from the Arab world –- a fact that could play a major role when the winner is picked in Copenhagen on October 2, 2009.
Qatar has already announced it would be going full steam ahead throughout the entire bid process leading up to Copenhagen.
“The Doha 2016 bid is an extremely serious bid. We are absolutely ready to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2016,” bid committee chairman Hassan Ali bin Ali told journalists.
“Hosting the Games in Doha in 2016 would bring the Olympic flame to the Arabic-speaking world for the first time, extending the Olympic ideals to millions of new hearts and minds. Never has the ‘Olympic family’ had an opportunity to make such a difference to the peoples of the world.”
The bid chairman said Doha getting the Olympics would be an historic event for the Arab world because it would “unleash the power of the Olympic movement and sport to create understanding, hope and change that could unite the entire region with the rest of the world.”
The novelty of Doha being the first city from the Arab world hoping to host the Games is the central theme of Qatar’s bid, much like it was when Qatar decided to go for the 2006 Asian Games.
This fact was touched upon by Mike Lee, the director of communications for the London 2012 bid, during a presentation for the local media yesterday.
“The Olympics is all about celebrating change –- the change in the Arab world,” Lee, who is an adviser to the Doha 2016 bid, said, praising Qatar’s focus on the development of institutions, especially in the field of education.
Lee also cited the example of London’s successful bid as against Paris’s failed one to stress his point.
“The Paris bid failed because it merely stressed upon why it needed the Games whereas London’s emphasis was mostly on “why the Games needed London.”
In the end, London’s logic clinched the issue when the winning city was decided in Singapore two years ago.
Lee said various aspects of the London bid, including the biggest park building projects undertaken in 150 years, the city’s passion for sports and the impact the Olympics would have on the future generations all went towards its success.
“There shouldn’t be any white elephants in terms of legacy and sustainability. This is very important,” he said.
Lee said he saw many similarities between the London and Doha bids.
“For one, the London bid had the full backing of the prime minister and the mayor of London. With the crown prince of Qatar himself attending tomorrow’s launch, it sends out a strong message.”
Bob Stiles, another bid expert who has worked in various capacities for Sydney 2000, Sochi 2014 and several FIFA World Cups, said the entire build-up right up to the decision day is an intense process during which no candidate city could afford any slip-ups.
The tension, he said, could be unbearable, but the real work actually starts after the bid is won.
“You wake up to all the celebrations about your city winning the bid and suddenly you realise, “there’s seven years of hard work ahead.”’
Qatar has already announced it would be building a dedicated stadium for the physically challenged irrespective of whether or not the Olympic Games come to Doha.
“Our vision for the Games is focused on the shared future of the world’s youth, particularly disadvantaged either economically, or through disability. Our bid aims to engage and inspire Arab youth to better understand the wider world and the youth of the rest of the world to gain a true picture of Arab culture and hospitality,” the bid committee chairman said.
With most of the infrastructure already in place – Qatar having hosted the Asian Games successfully in 2006 – there are no major plans as of now to go for new facilities for the Olympics, except for a velodrome and a baseball stadium, if the game is included as a discipline in 2016.
The capacity of the 50,000 seater Khalifa Stadium will be increased to 60,000 according to the IOC’s requirement and some other venues will also be upgraded.
However, a new Athletes Village will have to be built for the event.
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