July 21, (THEWILL) – TThe International Olympic Committee (IOC) has confirmed that Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland, Australia, will host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The IOC approval of the city came from the recommendation of its executive board and makes Brisbane Australia’s third city to host the sports showpiece.
THEWILL recalls that the Victoria city of Melbourne was the first Australian host when it was picked as the venue of the 1956 Games. Melbourne was succeeded by Sydney, capital of New South Wales and one of Australia’s largest cities, in the Millennium Games of 2000.
This was the first hosting decision of the Games to be awarded following an overhaul of the voting system. The new process discarded the old model of pitting cities against each other ahead of a vote. In the new model, the IOC held talks with interested parties and picked a preferred host before final ratification.
The change became necessary after several complaints of the expense of running a full bid were considered justifiable feedback. However, the new model has not gone without causing controversy of its own. Critics have already questioned the rationale behind settling for an Australian city.
Part of the criticism stems from the presence of Australian John Coates as an IOC Vice-President even as Coates has promised athletes the city will make the Games an “unforgettable experience” for all comers.
Competing against Brisbane were cities in Germany, Hungary, Indonesia and Qatar before the executive board approved the Queensland state capital’s ‘preferred bidder’ status last month. There was an IOC consensus that came from a wide admiration of Brisbane’s submission which was labelled “irresistible” by Thomas Bach, the IOC President.
One strong point of Brisbane’s proposal was there being no plans to construct fresh venues as the infrastructure was already in place. This was partly helped by Queensland’s 2018 hosting of the Commonwealth Games.
However, a partial rebuilding work was proposed for the Gabba cricket ground with the costs expected to be split equally between the Australian government and the state equivalent to lighten the financial implications for both.
Responding to the approval, Scott Morrison, Australia’s Prime Minister, said: “It’s a historic day not just for Brisbane and Queensland, but for the entire country. Only global cities can secure the Olympic Games – so this is fitting recognition for Brisbane’s standing across our region and the world.
“It also marks an important leap forward for Australia as we look toward major events that lock in economic growth and social benefits that will echo for years to come.”
Barring unforeseen circumstances, the 2032 Games will start on July 23 and run until August 8, the same as this year’s event in Japan. Before then, Paris is billed to host the Olympics and Paralympics in 2024, and the 2028 event will be held in Los Angeles, California.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
