GamesBids.com presents the fourth annual Top Ten list of Olympic Bid Stories for 2011. These stories impacted the course of Olympic bids, or the Olympic bid process, and formed interesting plotlines for the year. We’ll run them down from 10th to 1st during the holiday season.
Top Olympic Bid Stories of 2011: #8 Doha bids again after filing request to change Games dates
Doha, Qatar bid for the 2016 Olympic Games but caused controversy when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) rejected the otherwise qualifed bid because Games dates were proposed outside of the requested July and August timeframe. Doha’s summer climate features relentless heat that wouldn’t be healthy for athletes or spectators, so Doha organizers wanted to host the Games in October when the temperature is more accomodating.
Qatar cause ire for the IOC in 2010 when the tiny nation won its bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup then secretly discussed holding the event in February (instead of July and August) in direct conflict with the Olympic Winter Games.
For the 2020 campaign, in order to avoid confusion the IOC requested advance notice from bids that have alternate dates in their plans so that they can be approved in advance. Doha filed this required notice before the deadline.
The IOC elected to approve the dates in Doha’s application and allowed the bid to proceed. But the IOC can still reject Doha’s application at their discretion when the short-list is announced in May 2012, as long as they don’t cite dates as the issue.
Watch for top 10 story #7 coming soon on GamesBids.com.
