11.10.2008
Athletes to compete in world-class sports venues in a compact Doha games
LAUSANNE, 14 January 2008 - Officials from the Doha 2016 Bid Committee travelled to the home of the International Olympic Committee today to hand-deliver 80 copies of the city’s Application File to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
In its application, written in both English and French, Doha proposes to stage a highly compact, carbon-neutral Games, for the most part using its already existing world-class venues.
Chairman of the Doha 2016 Bid Committee, Mr Hassan Ali Bin Ali, said: “This is a significant moment for the Doha team. We have all worked hard together to get to this point and we are very proud of the Application File we have put together. I hope we have demonstrated to the IOC that Doha is an extremely strong candidate to host the 2016 Games, with a strong commitment to athletes and sport.
More than 70% of the venues proposed in Doha’s plan already exist and have served as sites for major international competitions, particularly for the 2006 Asian Games. They are organised in three major clusters and five smaller clusters. The proposed new Olympic and Media Villages would be centrally located among the clusters.
Any new building work required for Doha 2016 has been aligned with the city’s long-term development strategies as outlined in the Qatar Master Plan to 2025: “To implement a physical development plan that promotes the vision for Qatar as the academic centre, sports centre, and major tourist centre of the Middle East.”
Each of the new venues therefore has a significant long-term use and will create opportunities for the people of Doha, the region and the sporting world.
Formed in the shape of a dove, the Olympic Village will be a 67-hectare development, designed to meet every need of the athletes and delegations, while also providing Doha with much needed mixed-use development near the city centre. It will feature extensive pedestrian walkways, peaceful and expansive green space and meandering canals.
All athletes, officials and coaches will live together in the Village, housing 18,000 people. All of the venues are in close proximity to the Olympic Village 85% of athletes will compete within a 7.5 km radius from the Village. The furthest venue is 30 km from the Village and all are positioned along major transport corridors.
Dr Saif Ali Al Hajari, the Doha 2016 Environment Director and one of the Bid’s delegation in Lausanne, said the Doha Games would be carbon neutral and would endorse a zero waste goal. They would also showcase new technologies in waste water reclamation, water conservation, and renewable resources.
Dr Al Hajari added that Doha 2016 had launched an international sustainable-design competition for the most innovative technology for constructing all the planned new facilities.
Doha is proposing to hold the Olympic Games between 14-30 October, dates which offer ideal weather conditions for athletes and spectators alike. The average temperature range throughout the day over the past 10 years is between 27-31˚C and humidity is between 49-68%.
Doha 2016 has also announced its board of directors and management team, comprising eminent Qatari men and women from the worlds of sport, government, business and education.
Public opinion in Qatar strongly supports Doha 2016, with 86% of people in the city and region expressing support for the Bid in a recent poll.
The Bid also has the complete support of the government, as well as the commitment of the Amir of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani and the deep involvement of the Heir Apparent, His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani. This ensures that Doha‘s Bid will be fully funded, from its application right through to the staging of the 2016 Games.
Doha’s vision for the 2016 Games is also distinctive: embodying the best traditions of Arab hospitality while bringing together different cultures and peoples in the spirit of fraternity and fair play and so promoting new understanding between regions.
To promote social progress throughout the region, the Doha 2016 plan will create programmes to foster mutual respect and gender equality, as well as support for Paralympic athletes.
Doha 2016 has also committed to establishing a range of programmes that will serve economically disadvantaged youth around the world. These programmes will be implemented regardless of the outcome of the 2016 Host City selection.