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Dubai Considers 2020 Olympic Bid

Dubai has created a committee to examine the feasibility of making a formal bid to host the 2020 Olympic and Paralympics Games.

The potential Olympic bid is part of a greater developmental initiative called ‘Dubai 2020’ – a master plan for propelling the wealthy city into the international arena. 

The exploratory committee will be spearheaded by Sheik Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and it will also look into the possibility of hosting the World Expo in 2020. 

Among the infrastructure plans for Dubai 2020 is a behemoth sports complex, Dubai Sports City, which is expected to be completed by 2011.  The $4 billion, 50 million- square-foot project is the most impressive of the city’s facilities, and it hopes Sports City will boost Dubai’s standing as a contender for the 2020 Olympic Games and World Expo, as well as the 2022 FIFA World Cup finals. 

Dubai Sports City is advertised as “a city within a city,” and is part of the greater Dubailand development, a vast entertainment complex.  Within the sports complex, there will be four main stadiums, including a 60,000-seat multi-purpose outdoor arena for rugby, soccer and track and field, and a 25,000-seat stadium for cricket. 

“As the world’s first integrated sports city, Dubai Sports City is a committed supporter of all sport, from grassroots to elite competitions,” Malcolm Thorpe, spokesperson for Dubai Sports City, told The Media Line.  “Dubai Sports City welcomes the launch of the ‘Dubai 2020’ initiative, and is excited at the possibility of the Emirate hosting the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics Games.”

“Everyone at Dubai Sports City is confident that we can make a positive contribution to this exciting project, whether as a host venue for events or as a training base for the many athletes that will come to Dubai from around the world,” he said. 

The Olympics, World Expo, and the FIFA World Cup Finals are the world’s largest events in terms of social and economic impact and importance, and Dubai hopes to play host to all three.

If the Olympic bid is successful, it will be Dubai’s first major foray into the international events arena, with Dubai Sports City as its crown jewel. 

While Dubai did host the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank’s annual meetings in 2003, hosting the Olympics will undoubtedly increase Dubai’s stature as not only an economic power, but also as a social and cultural one. 

With London as the Olympics’ 2012 host, and Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, and Tokyo contending for the 2016 honor, Dubai hopes 2020 will be the year when East meets West. 

“For Dubai to be successful with any Games bid, the cooperation and combined efforts of a great many organizations and people will be required,” Thorpe said.  “Over the next few years Dubai Sports City will help to demonstrate Dubai’s strong credentials as a safe, efficient and effective venue for major events.”

Among the other cities vying for the 2020 bid are Doha in Qatar, Cape Town, Istanbul, Rome and Kuala Lumpur.