Egypt could potentially become the first African and Arab country to host the Summer Olympic Games, in 2036, after successfully meeting the requirements to apply to the International Olympic Committee (IOC)
The news was shared via a social media press release from Egypt’s Ministry of Youth and Sports on 24 September.
While the official application for the 2036 Olympics is yet to begin, Egypt can already expect competition from the likes of Mexico, Turkey, Germany, Indonesia, India, Qatar, and Russia.
Egypt’s bid to host the 2036 Olympics was approved by President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, announced Minister of Youth and Sports, Ashraf Sobhi, in a live interview in Egypt’s new Olympic Village in the New Capital.
Also in attendance at the press conference was the President of the IOC, Thomas Bach, on a visit to Egypt to discuss the country’s potential to host the event.
Bach’s trip consisted of touring a setlist of sites, from the Egyptian Olympic Museum, to watching squash matches at the Egyptian Open, and visiting Egypt’s Museum of National Civilization – a recent venue for the World Squash Championships back in May 2022.
“IOC President Thomas Bach confirmed that Egypt’s sporting infrastructure allows it to host the 2036 Olympic Games,” stated the ministry’s press release.
Egypt’s history with the Olympic Games dates back to 1912, during its first-time participation in the Summer Olympics in Stockholm (Sweden). Since then, the country has amassed a total of 38 medals – 8 gold, 12 silver, and 18 bronze – the highest ranking Arab country in terms of medals.
The country’s most recent gold came during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, when karateka, Feryal Abdelaziz, clinched gold in the 61+ kilogram division.
The country also hopes to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup, a joint bid with Saudi Arabia and Greece.
Egypt’s efforts to become a venue for global sporting events comes in light of recent construction and infrastructure improvements, chief among them Egypt’s new state-of-the-art Sports City, located in the New Capital.
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