The Qatar Olympic Committee on Wednesday says holding the athletics championships in Doha would help promote the sport around the world and allow the IAAF to expand its reach further into the Middle East.

Along with winning 2022 World Cup bid, Qatar has hosted the 2006 Asian Games, 2011 Asian Cup and the athletics world indoor championships last year.

The only other city to announce a bid was London, which would host the championships in the stadium built for next year's London Olympics.

Formal bids must be submitted by Sept. 1 to the IAAF, which will announce its decision in November.