South Africa is aiming to host the first ever Olympics on the African continent. This after it was named as one of seven countries that will officially put forward their case to stage the 2036 Games in November.
Olympics: South Africa aims to host the Games in 2036
Noah Lyles, of the United States, third from bottom, runs across the Olympic rings on his way to winning the men's 100-meter final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4,
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AP Photo/David J. Phillip
However its bid is viewed as a distinct outsider, with Qatar widely seen as the frontrunner ahead of India and Hungary. Turkey, Germany and South Korea are the other nations that have been requested to present before International Olympic Committee’s future bid committee in November.
It's the first step in a process that will end with a vote in 2029. Qatar’s position as frontrunner is due to the perceived strength of the bid as well as the fact that Asia will not have hosted a Games since Tokyo 2020.
However a Doha Olympics would have to be altered from the Games’ ordinary July-August slot due to the heat. India is regarded as the main rival, although its bid to host is seen to have weakened during the past year and a half.