Doha to host 2030 Asian Games with Riyadh awarded 2034 edition
Doha will host the 2030 Asian Games and rival Riyadh will stage the event in 2034 following a vote at today’s Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) General Assembly in Muscat.
The double award comes after OCA President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah arranged a “win win” situation which saw the city with the most votes awarded the 2030 Games and the runner-up given 2034.
It means back-to-back Games will be held in West Asia with an intriguing race between two fierce political opponents ending with both Qatar and Saudi Arabia having something to show for it.
Qatar’s capital won on the day, however, gaining 27 votes compared to Riyadh’s 10 with eight abstentions.
The electronic vote was plagued by technical problems and was repeatedly delayed as some countries attended in the room and others joined virtually.
In the end, the 26 countries present at the JW Marriott Hotel had to vote the old fashioned way, by walking up to a ballot box, with the 19 remaining nations still able to vote electronically.
There was also confusion when a tab labelled “learn ethical hacking” was noticed on the screen during the vote, leading to fears the ballot was being manipulated.
Sheikh Ahmad said an OCA staff member’s laptop had “shut down” and had been replaced with one used by an Omani technician, which had the tab about a hacking course visible..
At one stage members of the media and camera crews were asked to leave the room, with Sheikh Ahmad claiming that some delegates had expressed fears about their votes being captured as they typed on their iPads.
Cameras were later allowed to return for the manual vote.
The double award plan was greeted with a round of applause when Sheikh Ahmad explained it and was voted through by the Assembly unanimously.
On the eve of the vote, the Kuwaiti said he hoped to find a “solution” for both parties as the OCA always shows “solidarity and unity”.
“I believe you are making history, and I will be proud to have two Asian Games in West Asia,” Sheikh Ahmad told the Assembly.
“Thank you Asia for your solidarity and coordination.”
Having two bidders is a departure from usual practice for the OCA, which normally makes known its preferred host before electing it without a vote.
Qatar and Saudi Arabia were bidding against a backdrop of international criticism over their records on human rights, as well as a bitter diplomatic dispute which saw Riyadh initiative a blockade of its neighbour after accusing Doha of sponsoring terrorism.
The Qatari capital also hosted the Games in 2006 while Riyadh’s staging in 2034 will be a first for Saudi Arabia.
