Doha 2016 Olympic bid
Encyclopedia
Doha
, the capital city of Qatar
, bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics
. It is the only city in the Arab World
other than Cairo
, Egypt
to mount a serious bid.
Despite speculation due to Doha's strong bid, Doha's bid was eliminated from consideration when it failed to make the Candidate city shortlist on June 4, 2008.
Had Doha been chosen to host the games, they were to be held between October 14 and October 30. The Paralympics were to be held between November 9 and November 21.
Hassan Ali Bin Ali was named the Chairman of the Doha 2016 Olympic Bid Committee. The bid was officially announced October 25, 2007 at a festival on the Doha corniche
. It was only the second serious bid from the Arab World
(after Cairo's bid for the 2008 games), and pundits speculated that Doha's chances of being shortlisted were improved for that reason. More than 1,000 banners and billboards featuring children (future athletes) promoted the bid in Doha, and Doha organized a Youth Ambassador Program designed to reach out with youthful hope and understanding. Qataris aimed to highlight the future of the country's youth by engaging and inspiring them to better understand the wider world, and for the youth of the rest of the world to gain a true picture of Arab culture and hospitality. US$48 million was budgeted to secure the games. ($44 million from the government)
The centerpiece of the bid was the expansion of the Aspire Zone sports center, which also houses many other facilities. The Aspire Zone hosted the 2006 Asian Games
. Doha is also planning a new paralympic stadium, although it is uncertain if it will still be constructed since the end of the bid. The Qatar government committed to full financial guarantees that will cover any cost overruns.
With sport as a raison d'etre, Qatar has invested in multi-million dollar projects to upgrade Doha's infrastructure
to premium international standards.
The bid had support from the Gulf Cooperation Council, solidifing regional support from the neighboring states of Bahrain
, Kuwait
, Oman
, Saudi Arabia
, and the United Arab Emirates
. Bid leader Bin Ali stated, "Our aim is to build support for the bid which will be a bid that the whole Arab world can be proud of." 86% of people in Doha City and region support the Olympic bid and 95% of residents were aware of the bid, matching most of the other bid cities.
The Olympic Village was to be a $USD 1.94 billion 67-hectare development project designed for up to 18,000 athletes. The complex will form the shape of a dove.
, sports club, retail areas and parklands. There are also residential and hotel facilities. It is located approximately 8 km from Doha’s Central Business District. Aspire Zone is represented with strong landmarks that will be iconic in their design and function.
Khalifa International Stadium
Khalifa Stadium is well-tailored to host major sports events of international standard, particularly football (soccer)
and athletics. Khalifa Stadium was built in 1976 to seat 20,000. For the 2006 Asian Games, it was expanded to seat 50,000. It will need to be further expanded to meet the Olympic minimum of 60,000. It is linked to a warm-up field. An arch crowns the stadium, which also has a partial roof covering.
nasium with an audience seating capacity of 200 persons, judo
and karate
area with a viewer’s seating capacity of 150 persons, a fencing
hall with a spectators seating capacity of 150 persons, a table tennis
hall with squash court with an audience seating capacity of 500 persons, Olympic swimming and diving pools, a football court with a seating capacity of 200 persons and a host of other amenities. The total seating capacity of the sports hall is 3000. The support services include restaurants, changing rooms, cafeterias, shops museum, and technical support areas etc.
Hamad Aquatic Centre
The Hamad Aquatic Centre was expanded to offer ultra-modern facilities for water sports. The aquatic complex presents extensive facilities for swimming
, diving
, synchronized swimming
and water polo
.
, handball
, and volleyball
, etc. The size of court is around 30X50m with a height of 28 m. The sports hall does have a gallery to accommodate 2000 viewers and additional seating for about 500 persons.
Aspire Tower
The 300 m-high Aspire Zone Tower, is the tallest building in Qatar. Finished in 2007, the skeleton of the structure is clad in combination of glazing panels and architectural stainless steel mesh, which has been accentuated by state-of-the-art facade lighting. The tower hosts a hotel, restaurant, conference center, and sports museum. This iconic structure crowned by a steel parabolic lattice structure that will be a backdrop for the 8 to 10 meter high gas flame torch, representing the largest Olympic flame in history.
i government has placed huge investment into developing a local transportation network
and to improving accessibility between Qatar and the outside world by land, air and sea. Over the past few years, a great deal has been achieved in terms of building ports, airports and roads, with more under construction or planned.
With the imminent expansion of Qatar Airways
, the country is building the New Doha International Airport
, capable of handling 50 million passengers a year when it is completed in 2015. The New Doha International Airport
is being constructed four kilometres from the existing one, on a 5400 acres (21.9 km²) site. The current airport handles around 9 million passengers per year, whereas the new airport will be designed to handle 12.5 million per year. The old airport will be remodeled as well.
Although there is currently no railway network in Qatar
, plans are under way, in particular as part of the construction of the new city of Lusail
. Lusail's plans include both an underground and aboveground train network, which will be fully integrated with a new rail system in Doha itself. In addition, it plans to develop a new water-taxi service to run along the Doha coastline.
Public transport in Qatar
made a major leap forward in 2004 with the launch of The Qatar Transport Company, more commonly known by its Arabic name "Mowasalat". This is a government-owned bus, taxi
and limousine
service. The Bid Committee is also advocating the use of a range of battery
powered taxis and buses in an effort to cut air pollution
. Qatar would have the region’s first environmentally friendly public transport system. The Chinese manufacturing company Kinglong is currently developing the prototype
s for the vehicles.
Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) and Qatar National Hotels Company (QNHC) have set up a number of tourist facilities, recreational centers, exhibition halls, luxurious hotels, shopping centers, sports centers and museums.
's design represents the blossoming of the hopes and aspirations of Qatar, rooted in the rich heritage of the country. The Aldahma, the 'Flower of the Spring', was chosen to represent the vital and energetic spirit of the season. The Aldahma's natural habitat in the sands of the desert
draws a parallel with the vibrant and colourful life flourishing in the State of Qatar
. The calligraphy
strokes making the words 'Doha 2016' are a unique manipulation of the traditional organic Henna
patterns that women use to adorn their hands and arms as part of social and holiday celebrations
. The interaction between the Arabic calligraphy and the English type is an interpretation of modernity. The logo was created by students at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUQ).
The Doha 2016 Slogan
was "Celebrating Change."
Doha
is emerging as a prominent economic center of the Arab World
, which has never hosted the Olympics before; this makes the bid similar to Rio's and Baku's bids, which would have been the first to host the games in their respective regions. In 2006, Doha successfully hosted the very well regarded 2006 Asian Games
, the centerpiece being its sports city named Aspire Zone. Although it would need expansion with new arena
s and stadium
s, the overall quality of the facilities is very high. Doha
is also a modern city which is currently undergoing a flurry of activity, expanding its number of hotels and road networks to international standards. An oil
rich nation, Qatar should have no trouble funding the games.
Some negative factors included the hot temperatures in Doha in the summer (up to 45 °C), which would be difficult for the athletes and spectators. Doha proposed to host the games in mid to late October. While strictly outside the IOC's parameters, late games are not without precedent, such as the Tokyo
and Mexico City
Games which were held in October of that year and the Seoul
and Sydney
Games were held in September and October 2000. The 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne were held from November 22 to December 8 of that year. The Paralympics would then be held in November. The Qataris promoted a message of peace with their bid, and while Qatar is a stable country, greater regional concerns over safety and terrorism
may have hampered votes.
The overall small size of Doha and Qatar (330,000 and 960,000 respectively) would have made it one of the smallest locations in modern history to host the games. Also, Qatar has a short "sports legacy" when compared to other bidding countries,. Despite this, the IOC gave Doha the same number of points as Chicago did in the applicant round.
Doha's bid ended on June 4, 2008 when it failed to make the Candidate city shortlist. Doha was widely regarded as a wildcard candidate which had true potential to host. Ultimately, the IOC went with a shortlist of four candidates. In August 2011, Doha announced it would be bidding for the 2020 Summer Olympics
.
Doha and Qatar have also bid, or are planning to bid for numerous other events, including the 2011 The 123rd IOC Session
and the 2022 FIFA World Cup
.
Doha
Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...
, the capital city of Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
, bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics
2016 Summer Olympics
The 2016 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXI Olympiad, are a major international multi-sport event to be celebrated in the tradition of the Olympic Games, as governed by the International Olympic Committee...
. It is the only city in the Arab World
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
other than Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
to mount a serious bid.
Despite speculation due to Doha's strong bid, Doha's bid was eliminated from consideration when it failed to make the Candidate city shortlist on June 4, 2008.
Had Doha been chosen to host the games, they were to be held between October 14 and October 30. The Paralympics were to be held between November 9 and November 21.
Bid details
Headlands and bays
Headlands and bays are two related features of the coastal environment.- Geology and geography :Headlands and bays are often found on the same coastline. A bay is surrounded by land on three sides, whereas a headland is surrounded by water on three sides. Headlands are characterized by high,...
. It was only the second serious bid from the Arab World
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
(after Cairo's bid for the 2008 games), and pundits speculated that Doha's chances of being shortlisted were improved for that reason. More than 1,000 banners and billboards featuring children (future athletes) promoted the bid in Doha, and Doha organized a Youth Ambassador Program designed to reach out with youthful hope and understanding. Qataris aimed to highlight the future of the country's youth by engaging and inspiring them to better understand the wider world, and for the youth of the rest of the world to gain a true picture of Arab culture and hospitality. US$48 million was budgeted to secure the games. ($44 million from the government)
The centerpiece of the bid was the expansion of the Aspire Zone sports center, which also houses many other facilities. The Aspire Zone hosted the 2006 Asian Games
2006 Asian Games
The 15th Asian Games, officially known as the XV Asiad, is Asia's Olympic-style sporting event that was held in Doha, Qatar from December 1 to December 15, 2006. Doha was the first city in its region and only the second in West Asia to host the games...
. Doha is also planning a new paralympic stadium, although it is uncertain if it will still be constructed since the end of the bid. The Qatar government committed to full financial guarantees that will cover any cost overruns.
With sport as a raison d'etre, Qatar has invested in multi-million dollar projects to upgrade Doha's infrastructure
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
to premium international standards.
The bid had support from the Gulf Cooperation Council, solidifing regional support from the neighboring states of Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
, Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, and the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
. Bid leader Bin Ali stated, "Our aim is to build support for the bid which will be a bid that the whole Arab world can be proud of." 86% of people in Doha City and region support the Olympic bid and 95% of residents were aware of the bid, matching most of the other bid cities.
Venues
The Qataris planned to utilize 70% pre-existing venues, most from the 2006 Asian Games. Six venues would be temporary and four will require new construction. Hassan plans to leave legacy buildings with a new Olympic Village and Media Center. Also, much new construction as part of the Qatar long term development plan will result.The Olympic Village was to be a $USD 1.94 billion 67-hectare development project designed for up to 18,000 athletes. The complex will form the shape of a dove.
Aspire Zone (Doha Sports City)
Aspire Zone is (approximately) a 240ha precinct that houses an international standard sport stadium, medical facilities, education services and sport academy, mosqueMosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
, sports club, retail areas and parklands. There are also residential and hotel facilities. It is located approximately 8 km from Doha’s Central Business District. Aspire Zone is represented with strong landmarks that will be iconic in their design and function.
Khalifa International StadiumKhalifa International StadiumKhalifa International Stadium or also known as National Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Doha, Qatar as part of the Doha Sports City complex, which also includes Aspire Academy, Hamad Aquatic Centre, and the Aspire Tower. It is named after Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, Qatar's former Emir...
Khalifa Stadium is well-tailored to host major sports events of international standard, particularly football (soccer)Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
and athletics. Khalifa Stadium was built in 1976 to seat 20,000. For the 2006 Asian Games, it was expanded to seat 50,000. It will need to be further expanded to meet the Olympic minimum of 60,000. It is linked to a warm-up field. An arch crowns the stadium, which also has a partial roof covering.
Aspire Sports Hall
The ASPIRE Sports Hall is multi-purpose sports hall with a wide range of corollaries. The sports hall features a gymGym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
nasium with an audience seating capacity of 200 persons, judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
and karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
area with a viewer’s seating capacity of 150 persons, a fencing
Fencing
Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
hall with a spectators seating capacity of 150 persons, a table tennis
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
hall with squash court with an audience seating capacity of 500 persons, Olympic swimming and diving pools, a football court with a seating capacity of 200 persons and a host of other amenities. The total seating capacity of the sports hall is 3000. The support services include restaurants, changing rooms, cafeterias, shops museum, and technical support areas etc.
Hamad Aquatic CentreHamad Aquatic CentreHamad Aquatic Centre is a large swimming pool complex in Doha, Qatar. As part of the Doha sports city that encompasses a number of other complexes in the area it was the venue for aquatic events at the 2006 Asian Games....
The Hamad Aquatic Centre was expanded to offer ultra-modern facilities for water sports. The aquatic complex presents extensive facilities for swimmingSwimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, diving
Diving
Diving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one...
, synchronized swimming
Synchronized swimming
Synchronized swImming is a hybrid form of swimming, dance and gymnastics, consisting of swimmers performing a synchronized routine of elaborate moves in the water, accompanied by music....
and water polo
Water polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
.
Women's Sports Indoor Hall
This Women’s Sports Hall is designed to provide indoor facilities for basketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, handball
Team handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
, and volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, etc. The size of court is around 30X50m with a height of 28 m. The sports hall does have a gallery to accommodate 2000 viewers and additional seating for about 500 persons.
Aspire TowerAspire TowerThe Aspire Tower is a tall tower-like skyscraper located in the Doha Sports City complex in Doha, Qatar. Designed by architect Hadi Simaan and AREP and engineer Ove Arup and Partners, the tower served as the focal point for the 15th Asian Games hosted by Qatar in December 2006.The Aspire Tower is...
The 300 m-high Aspire Zone Tower, is the tallest building in Qatar. Finished in 2007, the skeleton of the structure is clad in combination of glazing panels and architectural stainless steel mesh, which has been accentuated by state-of-the-art facade lighting. The tower hosts a hotel, restaurant, conference center, and sports museum. This iconic structure crowned by a steel parabolic lattice structure that will be a backdrop for the 8 to 10 meter high gas flame torch, representing the largest Olympic flame in history.Transport Infrastructure
The QatarQatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
i government has placed huge investment into developing a local transportation network
Transport network
A transport network, or transportation network in American English, is typically a network of roads, streets, pipes, aqueducts, power lines, or nearly any structure which permits either vehicular movement or flow of some commodity....
and to improving accessibility between Qatar and the outside world by land, air and sea. Over the past few years, a great deal has been achieved in terms of building ports, airports and roads, with more under construction or planned.
With the imminent expansion of Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways Company Q.C.S.C. , operating as Qatar Airways, is the flag carrier of Qatar. Headquartered in the Qatar Airways Tower in Doha, it operates a hub-and-spoke network, linking over 100 international destinations from its base in Doha, using a fleet of over 100 aircraft...
, the country is building the New Doha International Airport
New Doha International Airport
New Doha International Airport is an international airport currently under construction in Doha, capital of Qatar. NDIA was slated to replace the old Doha International Airport as Qatar's only international airport in 2009. Current estimates have a completion date of 2011/2012...
, capable of handling 50 million passengers a year when it is completed in 2015. The New Doha International Airport
New Doha International Airport
New Doha International Airport is an international airport currently under construction in Doha, capital of Qatar. NDIA was slated to replace the old Doha International Airport as Qatar's only international airport in 2009. Current estimates have a completion date of 2011/2012...
is being constructed four kilometres from the existing one, on a 5400 acres (21.9 km²) site. The current airport handles around 9 million passengers per year, whereas the new airport will be designed to handle 12.5 million per year. The old airport will be remodeled as well.
Although there is currently no railway network in Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
, plans are under way, in particular as part of the construction of the new city of Lusail
Lusail
Lusail is the newest planned city in Qatar, located on the coast, in the northern part of the municipality ofAl Kheisa. Lusail is located about 15 km north of the city centre of Doha, just north of the West Bay Lagoon, on over 35 km² and eventually provide accommodation for up to 250,000...
. Lusail's plans include both an underground and aboveground train network, which will be fully integrated with a new rail system in Doha itself. In addition, it plans to develop a new water-taxi service to run along the Doha coastline.
Public transport in Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
made a major leap forward in 2004 with the launch of The Qatar Transport Company, more commonly known by its Arabic name "Mowasalat". This is a government-owned bus, taxi
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
and limousine
Limousine
A limousine is a luxury sedan or saloon car, especially one with a lengthened wheelbase or driven by a chauffeur. The chassis of a limousine may have been extended by the manufacturer or by an independent coachbuilder. These are called "stretch" limousines and are traditionally black or white....
service. The Bid Committee is also advocating the use of a range of battery
Battery (electricity)
An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...
powered taxis and buses in an effort to cut air pollution
Air pollution
Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or cause damage to the natural environment or built environment, into the atmosphere....
. Qatar would have the region’s first environmentally friendly public transport system. The Chinese manufacturing company Kinglong is currently developing the prototype
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
s for the vehicles.
Accommodations
The Qatari hotel industry has made impressive progress in the past few years, capitalizing on the country's new role as a key business destination, hosting numerous international conferences and forums. The hotel industry has also benefited from the Qatari government's ongoing campaign to boost tourism to the country.Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) and Qatar National Hotels Company (QNHC) have set up a number of tourist facilities, recreational centers, exhibition halls, luxurious hotels, shopping centers, sports centers and museums.
Logo and slogan
The logoLogo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
's design represents the blossoming of the hopes and aspirations of Qatar, rooted in the rich heritage of the country. The Aldahma, the 'Flower of the Spring', was chosen to represent the vital and energetic spirit of the season. The Aldahma's natural habitat in the sands of the desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
draws a parallel with the vibrant and colourful life flourishing in the State of Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
. The calligraphy
Calligraphy
Calligraphy is a type of visual art. It is often called the art of fancy lettering . A contemporary definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"...
strokes making the words 'Doha 2016' are a unique manipulation of the traditional organic Henna
Henna
Henna is a flowering plant used since antiquity to dye skin, hair, fingernails, leather and wool. The name is also used for dye preparations derived from the plant, and for the art of temporary tattooing based on those dyes...
patterns that women use to adorn their hands and arms as part of social and holiday celebrations
Celebrations
Celebrations are a chocolate collection made by Mars, Incorporated, comprising miniature versions of Mars-produced chocolate bars. After the success of Celebrations, Cadbury UK released their own version, Miniature Heroes.-Contents:...
. The interaction between the Arabic calligraphy and the English type is an interpretation of modernity. The logo was created by students at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUQ).
The Doha 2016 Slogan
Slogan
A slogan is a memorable motto or phrase used in a political, commercial, religious and other context as a repetitive expression of an idea or purpose. The word slogan is derived from slogorn which was an Anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic sluagh-ghairm . Slogans vary from the written and the...
was "Celebrating Change."
Outlook and conclusion
Doha
Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...
is emerging as a prominent economic center of the Arab World
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
, which has never hosted the Olympics before; this makes the bid similar to Rio's and Baku's bids, which would have been the first to host the games in their respective regions. In 2006, Doha successfully hosted the very well regarded 2006 Asian Games
2006 Asian Games
The 15th Asian Games, officially known as the XV Asiad, is Asia's Olympic-style sporting event that was held in Doha, Qatar from December 1 to December 15, 2006. Doha was the first city in its region and only the second in West Asia to host the games...
, the centerpiece being its sports city named Aspire Zone. Although it would need expansion with new arena
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
s and stadium
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
s, the overall quality of the facilities is very high. Doha
Doha
Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...
is also a modern city which is currently undergoing a flurry of activity, expanding its number of hotels and road networks to international standards. An oil
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
rich nation, Qatar should have no trouble funding the games.
Some negative factors included the hot temperatures in Doha in the summer (up to 45 °C), which would be difficult for the athletes and spectators. Doha proposed to host the games in mid to late October. While strictly outside the IOC's parameters, late games are not without precedent, such as the Tokyo
1964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
and Mexico City
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
Games which were held in October of that year and the Seoul
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
and Sydney
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
Games were held in September and October 2000. The 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne were held from November 22 to December 8 of that year. The Paralympics would then be held in November. The Qataris promoted a message of peace with their bid, and while Qatar is a stable country, greater regional concerns over safety and terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
may have hampered votes.
The overall small size of Doha and Qatar (330,000 and 960,000 respectively) would have made it one of the smallest locations in modern history to host the games. Also, Qatar has a short "sports legacy" when compared to other bidding countries,. Despite this, the IOC gave Doha the same number of points as Chicago did in the applicant round.
Doha's bid ended on June 4, 2008 when it failed to make the Candidate city shortlist. Doha was widely regarded as a wildcard candidate which had true potential to host. Ultimately, the IOC went with a shortlist of four candidates. In August 2011, Doha announced it would be bidding for the 2020 Summer Olympics
2020 Summer Olympics
The 2020 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXII Olympiad, will be a major international sports and cultural festival, celebrated in the tradition of the Olympic Games....
.
Future Sport Events
One of the most active cities in its region in terms of sporting events, Doha has already been chosen to host some significant future events:- 2010 Gymnasiad
- 2011 Asian Indoor Games2011 Asian Indoor GamesThe 4th Asian Indoor Games was scheduled be hosted in Doha, Qatar that announced on the Olympic Council of AsiaNational Olympic Committee Meeting in Kuwait on April 16, 2007.-Doha withdrawn:...
- 2011 AFC Asian Cup2011 AFC Asian CupThe 2011 AFC Asian Cup finals were held in Qatar on 7–29 January 2011. It was the fifteenth time the tournament has been held, and the second time it has been hosted by Qatar, the other being the 1988 AFC Asian Cup...
Doha and Qatar have also bid, or are planning to bid for numerous other events, including the 2011 The 123rd IOC Session
123rd IOC Session
The 123rd International Olympic Committee Session was held in July 2011 at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban, South Africa...
and the 2022 FIFA World Cup
2022 FIFA World Cup
The 2022 FIFA World Cup will be the 22nd FIFA World Cup, an international association football tournament that is scheduled to take place in 2022 in Qatar. The competition is scheduled to take place in June and July, although proposals have been made for a winter season. The tournament will involve...
.