Qatar was committed to bidding for the 2032 Olympics despite the IOC heading into exclusive talks with the top choice as Brisbane on Friday.
The International Olympic Committee used its new, more flexible bidding process to name the Australian coastal city as its preferred choice last week. This preference for the city has been to be chosen is being done more than 11 years before the Games.
This decision seemed surprising as other expected candidates included the Qatari capital Doha and Budapest, Hungary.
According to the Qatar Olympic Committee, it “reiterated its total commitment to maintaining continuous dialogue” with an IOC-appointed panel that can have ongoing talks and even approach the likely candidates for any future Games.
Doha applied to enter two previous Summer Games but failed to be accepted on the IOC’s list of candidates.
One reason against Doha is the scorching heat in the July-August slot during which the IOC prefers to conduct the Summer Games.
Doha hosted the 2019 track and field World Championship from late-September to October.
“We have listened and learned from our two previous bids and humbly believe that we are now perfectly positioned to deliver a low-risk, sustainable and world-class edition of the Games,” Qatari Olympic leader Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani said in a statement.
The IOC has given no timetable for a decision to confirm Brisbane or open up the contest.