AusLeisure

As Dubai stages the annual Host Cities Summit, the Emirates Expo 2020 success is fuelling talk of the city now planning a bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games.

Speaking on the eve of the annual Host Cities Summit, being held in Dubai today and tomorrow (4th and 5th December), United Arab Emirates National Olympic Committee Finance Director Abdulrahman Falaknaz told local media that "the UAE has the infrastructure, capability, manpower and know-how to host such events."

Summit speaker Tessa Jowell, former British Olympic Minister and a driving force behind London's successful 2012 bid, said she believes that holding a major international event like Expo 2020 can open the door for successful future bids.

Jowell explained "when I look back on our decision to bid for the (2012) Olympics, it was influenced by holding the Commonwealth Games of 2002 (in Manchester). We had a lot of self-confidence."

Jowell played a large part in securing London 2012's budget and oversaw the governance, venue procurement, athlete funding as well as international, national and regional programmes. She remains pragmatic and cautiously points out that events are not always awarded to the city with best existing facilities. Potential is often rewarded, too.

She adds "there are many reasons for the awarding bodies, whether for Expo, the Olympics or World Cup, to consider.

"They have to make a choice. Do they award with a view of it being a catalyst for (a host city's) development, or to showcase an already-developed country that is perhaps still not sufficiently known?"

Dubai's investment in infrastructure over the two decades and the additional infrastructure it will develop for Expo 2020 means it will have many of the elements needed to sustain a bid to host the summer Olympics.

Dubai considered bid to host the 2016 and 2020 Games, but did not ultimately enter the running. However, a bid for the 2024 Games now seems likely.

Falaknaz previously told Abu Dhabi newspaper The National, "the UAE has the infrastructure, capability, manpower and know-how to host such events.

"There is pressure on cities when they host huge events like the Olympics, but Dubai and the UAE can take it."

A Dubai Olympics would be history-making; no city from the Middle East or the Muslim world, as yet, has hosted the event.

Bidding for the 2024 Games will start in 2015, with the winners announced by the International Olympic Committee in 2017.

18 cities are currently thought to be preparing a bid for 2024, including Paris, France; Berlin, Germany; Rome, Italy;, St Petersburg, Russia; Toronto, Canada; Guadalajara, Mexico; Dallas and Los Angeles, USA; Nairobi, Kenya; Casablanca, Morocco; Durban, South Africa and Taipei City, Taiwan. Only a few are likely to bid formally.

The two-day Host Cities Summit features the world's leading sports administrators sharing their views and expertise on emerging nations hosting top sports events.

For more information go to www.host-cities.com

2nd December 2013 - DUBAI TO HOST 2020 WORLD EXPO TRADE CONVENTION 

15th July 2012 - INTERNATIONAL DESIGN FIRMS MASTERPLAN DUBAI’S WORLD EXPO BID

30th April 2012 - DUBAI TO HOST NEW EMERGING NATIONS-FOCUSED SPORT CONFERENCES

4th August 2011 - DUBAI TARGETS 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES

19th December 2008 - CULTURE AND HERITAGE PROJECTS IN THE UAE TOP US $51 BILLION

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