Australia's Brisbane to host 2032 Olympic Games
Brisbane to become third Australian city to host Games after being awarded 2032 event. Brisbane, where hundreds of people gathered at the river-side South Bank to watch the IOC session on the big screen erupted in cheering, becomes the third Australian city to get the Games after Melbourne in 1956 and Sydney in 2000.
"It's a historic day not just for Brisbane and Queensland, but for the entire country," Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.
"Only global cities can secure the Olympic Games – so this is fitting recognition for Brisbane’s standing across our region and the world."
Brisbane is the capital of Queensland state and has targeted sports events as a way to give it a bigger global profile after being overshadowed by Sydney and Melbourne. The city, which has a population of 2.56 million, hosted the Commonwealth Games three years ago. The IOC said that gave it confidence Brisbane had the transport infrastructure to host the Olympics.
The Brisbane Games will take place during Australia’s winter, with temperatures in the city typically peaking around 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The IOC said in February that these were favorable conditions for athletes. Temperatures topped 90 degrees in Tokyo on Wednesday and are expected to remain high throughout the Games. Previous Olympics have been criticized for leaving host cities with large debts and underused facilities. IOC President Thomas Bach said the IOC wanted to encourage Olympic projects which use a high percentage of existing and temporary venues.
The city's bid had earned repeated praise from the IOC for its high percentage of existing venues, support from all levels of government and the private sector, experience in organizing major events, and favorable weather, among other things. A commitment in April from the Australian government to split the infrastructure costs 50-50 with the local government allowed Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to forward the necessary financial guarantees to the IOC.
Tokyo is hosting the postponed 2020 Olympics this week and Paris will stage the 2024 Games. Los Angeles has been awarded the 2028 event.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison told International Olympic Committee (IOC) voters in a live link from his office: "We know what it takes to deliver a successful Games in Australia." Mr. Morrison then added in a statement he was "absolutely thrilled" by his country's success in securing a third Games, calling it "a historic day" for the entire country.
"We know the impact on Sydney more than two decades ago was transformative, and we can now expect a repeat for Brisbane and communities across Queensland," Morrison stated.
"I'm sure this news will be a big encouragement for all our athletes preparing to compete in Tokyo, and hopefully serve as inspiration for future generations of athletes right across the country.
"It's a proud day for Queenslanders and Australians everywhere."
Brisbane’s selection was greeted with fireworks and cheers on the city’s waterfront, even as most people who gathered to hear the IOC’s decision wore face masks. Although small by global standards, recent outbreaks of the Delta variant of Covid-19 have led to lockdowns in some Australian cities, including Sydney.
“All Queenslanders can be proud of this historic moment,” tweeted Annastacia Palaszczuk, Queensland’s premier.
