Qatar Announces Bid To Host 2036 Olympics Amid Human Rights Concerns
Qatar announced its bid to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games, aiming to bring the event to the MENA region for the first time.
Qatar officially announced its bid to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games on Tuesday.
Already a seasoned host of major tournaments—including the 2022 FIFA World Cup—Qatar now seeks to bring the world's largest multi-sport event to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region for the first time.
https://t.co/K26NvY8GNZ #DOHA2036 #OLYMPICS pic.twitter.com/7tY6qtH0QY
— Team Qatar 🇶🇦 (@qatar_olympic) July 22, 2025
'The official bid submitted by the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games represents a new milestone in Qatar's journey," said Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani in a statement via Qatar News Agency.
'The bid builds on Qatar's proven track record of successfully hosting major international sporting events, most notably the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022."
Human Rights Scrutiny Still Lingers
Qatar's World Cup legacy remains under global scrutiny. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have alleged that thousands of migrant workers died during the tournament's preparation. Qatari authorities dispute the figures, stating that only 37 workers involved in World Cup projects died, with just three fatalities classified as work-related.
With recent Olympics awarded to Paris (2024), Los Angeles (2028), and Brisbane (2032), all on different continents, the 2036 edition is widely expected to shift to Asia or possibly Africa—marking a historic first for the latter.
Doha's bid will be one of the first major decisions for newly elected International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry, who made history last month as the first woman to lead the organization.
(with AFP inputs)
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July 22, 2025, 17:12 IST
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