Qatar announced on Monday its interest in hosting the Olympics in 2032. If it were to win the bid, it would mark the first time that a Middle Eastern country has ever held the event.
Qatar’s Olympic Committee (QOC) said it had submitted a request to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to join the “continuous dialogue” to host an edition of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“Today’s announcement marks the beginning of a meaningful dialogue with the IOC’s Future Host Commission to explore our interest further and identify how the Olympic Games can support Qatar’s long-term development goals,” Qatar Olympic Committee President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani said in a statement released by QOC.
Qatar is already hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup. To that end, the country has built new sporting venues and transportation networks as a result.
As part of an alleged funding scheme, Qatari charities utilized the U.S. financial system to illegally transfer funds to the U.S.-designated terrorist groups Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), both of which have waged numerous attacks killing Americans and Israelis, according to the lawsuit.