DOHA (AFP): The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) said on Tuesday it was taking part in discussions with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over the election process for the host city of the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The country, which hosted the Fifa World Cup in 2022 and the Asian Cup in 2024, is the latest to join the race to stage the 2036 Games after confirmed bids from Indonesia, Turkiye, India and Chile. Other Asian countries considering a bid include Saudi Arabia and South Korea. Egypt, Hungary, Italy, Germany, Denmark and Canada have also shown interest. “We currently have 95% of the required sports infrastructure in place to host the Games, and we have a comprehensive national plan to ensure 100% readiness of all facilities,” Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani, the president of QOC, told the Qatar News Agency. “This plan is rooted in a long-term vision aimed at building a socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable legacy.” Qatar’s capital Doha is set to host the Asian Games in 2030, having staged the event in 2006. A successful bid would make Qatar the first country in the Middle East to host the Olympics amid the region’s growing influence over major sporting events. Saudi Arabia is set to hold the football World Cup in 2034. “The official bid submitted by the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games represents a new milestone in Qatar’s journey,” said Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, in a statement shared on the official Qatar News Agency. “The bid builds on Qatar’s proven track record of successfully hosting major international sporting events, most notably the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022,” Sheikh Mohammed added. Amnesty International and other rights groups claimed thousands of migrant workers died in the lead-up to the 2022 tournament. However, Doha has said only 37 workers on World Cup projects perished, and only three in work-related accidents. Countries are no longer required to make their Olympic bids public. The Games are meant to rotate continents every season. With the 2024, 2028, and 2032 editions set for Europe, North America, and Oceania, there are high chances the 2036 Olympic Games will be held in Asia — or in Africa, which would be a first. Choosing the next host of the games will be the first major project for the IOC’s new president Kirsty Coventry, who last month became the first woman to lead the body.