02.12.2008
Doha congratulates 2016 candidate cities
Athens, Wednesday 4 June 2008 – The Chairman of the Doha 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Bid, Hassan Ali Bin Ali has offered his congratulations to Chicago, Tokyo, Madrid and Rio de Janeiro on their selection as Candidate Cities.
Following the announcement by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at their session in Athens, Mr Ali Bin Ali said: “We want to offer our warm and sincere congratulations to all the Candidate Cities. We are confident that they would all stage memorable Games and we wish them the best in the coming months.”
Mr Ali Bin Ali continued: “Doha has been extremely honoured to be a part of this race and to have the opportunity to present its Bid to the Olympic Family.
“We have gained considerable experience and learnt to work closely with the IOC during the Applicant City phase. During this time, the Doha 2016 Bid – the first-ever from the Middle East, Arab world and African States – reached out to and inspired millions of young people across the region with the Olympic values. This is, for us, one of the key accomplishments of our Bid and a credit to the Olympic Movement.”
“Doha has committed to developing our sports and city infrastructure further and these commitments will be met – regardless of the IOC’s decision – with the aim of becoming a world-class sports hub in the region in the years to come.
“While we are of course disappointed, we remain extremely proud to have been given the opportunity over the past 12 months to demonstrate that Doha is a truly modern and developing city, able to compete with some of the world’s largest capitals and able to host international sporting events of the highest standard.