Dubai plans 2020 Olympic bid

DUBAI - Dubai officials headed by the Crown Prince, Sheik Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, will meet Monday to discuss the emirate's bid to host the 2020 Olympic games.

The emirate is working on a plan to host the games, the world's largest sporting event, including the required infrastructure, according to a statement from the ruler's office.

The committee includes Dubai's most senior officials such the Mohammed Al Shaibani, head of the ruler's court and Dhahi Khalfan Al Tamim, Dubai's chief of police and Sheik Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Emirates.

Bidding for 2020 Olympics could strengthen Dubai's position as a global city and revive an economy that has been hit hard by the financial crisis. Dubai had earlier shown an interest in bidding for the 2016 games but didn't submit a bid by the deadline.

The emirate may struggle to meet the financial burden of hosting the games, the world's largest sporting event, as it struggles to deal with its debts that analysts estimate already exceed $80 billion. The winning bid to host the games is expected to be announced in the summer of 2013.

Japan's Hiroshima and Nagasaki are also launching a joint bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics. Delhi, Istanbul and Budapest have already expressed interest in bidding.

If successful Dubai could become the first city in the Middle East to host the Olympics.