Organizers of the 2030 Asian Games in Doha are confident the event can be staged without major new construction, with existing venues and infrastructure already in place, the head of the local organizing committee said.
Ahmed Abdullah Al Buainain, chief executive officer of the Doha 2030 organizing committee, told a press conference Thursday in Nagoya that all competition venues required for the games are already available and that no additional facilities are planned.
‘We have all the infrastructure ready. It’s a matter of utilizing the venues,’ he said, stressing Qatar’s experience in hosting major international events, including the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Al Buainain pointed to Qatar’s ability to repurpose facilities built for previous events, citing the conversion of Al Janoub Stadium into a basketball venue for next year’s FIBA Basketball World Cup in Doha.
The organizers said they would be ready if the event is moved to 2031 as part of discussions between the Olympic Council of Asia and the International Olympic Committee.
The organizing committee is also working with the OCA on the final sports program and athlete quotas. Al Buainain said discussions remain ongoing with international federations and that organizers are not seeking to reduce the number of sports or disciplines on the schedule.
‘For now, we are trying to make sure everyone is happy,’ he said, adding that no limits have been set on athlete numbers at this stage.