DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — Qatar reiterated its “total commitment” to hosting the 2032 Olympics yesterday after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said its preferred bidder was Brisbane in Australia.

The IOC said on February 25 that Brisbane was the preferred candidate to host the Games, adding it would enter “targeted dialogue” with the Australian bid organisers.

“The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) today reiterated its total commitment to maintaining continuous dialogue with the IOC’s Future Host Commission as it moves forward in its bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games for the first time,” the QOC said in a statement.

“Qatar’s extensive experience in hosting major sporting events will grow further in the years ahead with the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022, FINA World Aquatics Championships 2023, IJF World Judo Championships 2023 and 2030 Asian Games.”

In addition to Qatar, which last year indicated its desire to host, interest from India and Chinese city Shanghai has also been reported.

A potential joint bid between South and North Korea had also been touted, while Germany had also expressed its interest in holding the Games in the North Rhine-Westphalia region.

All those hopefuls were dealt a blow by last month’s news, but Bach insisted the IOC had recorded “the interest of a number of parties”, although he did not identify them.

Australia last hosted the Olympics in Sydney in 2000.

The IOC said no final decision on the host city had been made, but more detailed discussions with Brisbane would start, although it gave no timetable.

The next IOC session will be held in March, with another scheduled for July.

“Hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2032 remains our ultimate ambition. We have listened and learned from our two previous bids,” said QOC President Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani.

The awarding of the 2032 Olympics is the first to take place with a new election method adopted in June 2019 in an attempt to counter application fees and a lack of serious bids.

For the 2024 Games, Bach bemoaned the process had “produced too many losers”, after Rome, Hamburg and Budapest all pulled out of the running.

In 2017, the IOC awarded the 2024 Games to Paris and the 2028 Olympics to Los Angeles.

The IOC has since set up its “future host” commission.