Outgoing Olympic Committee boss Matt Carroll backs Victoria Park stadium but issues stern venue warning

The AOC’s outgoing boss has backed the Victoria Park stadium, but warned there was a risk the “magic” of the Olympics could be lost because of another key decision.

Outgoing Australian Olympic Committee boss Matt Carroll has backed the Victoria Park stadium for the 2032 Games, but warned there was a risk the “magic” of the event could be lost with other major venues spread out across the state.

Mr Carroll, who leaves the top job on Saturday, said the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games would be the prototype for the future Olympics – with the goal for cities to thrive rather than land themselves in a quagmire of debt.

“It’s the International Olympic Committee’s new way of thinking, that the Games are to fit the city not the city to fit the Games,” Mr Carroll said. “The rationale is that you don’t build things you won’t need for other purposes.

“So the big new stadium at Victoria Park in Brisbane, it will serve AFL and cricket for the next 50 years, not just be there for the four weeks of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Mr Carroll said there were many risks, threats and opportunities confronting Olympic sports and those charged with keeping the Games relevant and ever popular.

He said there were risks associated with the need to spread the Games out using existing venues not always in the host city to keep costs down.

Outgoing Australian Olympic Committee CEO, Matt Carroll. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“The last Summer Olympics weren’t just in Paris. There were other French cities involved, and Tahiti as well,” he said.

“We will see the same in LA. Jess Fox will be making her attempts to defend the gold medals she won last year (the K1 and C1 canoe events) in Oklahoma in 2028. That’s where the canoe facility is based.

“So you always need to ask the question ‘Are we in danger of losing the magic of the Games because of the spread of the Games?’.”

He said the challenge was identifying that as a risk and ensuring positive steps were taken to keep the magic alive.

“Hence the need for every athlete who goes to the Olympics to have that true Games experience as much as they can. It’s challenging because of the multiple venues, multiple athlete villages,” Mr Carroll said.

The Victoria Park stadium will be the centrepiece of the Games but regional venues will be used, too. Picture: QLD Government.

“Few people realise a third of the Australian team wasn’t in the Paris village, they were in other parts of France.

“But if you identify that as a factor, you can do what’s necessary to keep the magic alive.”

Mr Carroll said the IOC was well attuned to the need for the Games to keep evolving, and has acted by including sports such as BMX freestyle, surfing, skateboarding and sports climbing.

“The outgoing IOC President Thomas Bach, it was one of his main aims, to refresh the Games,” Carroll added.

“He had the line ‘Change or be changed’. It’s worth remembering for any sport, any organisation.

“They did the research and the Games fan demographic was getting a bit too old. They needed to appeal to the youth again. What they’ve done is change those sporting dynamics and the kids are loving it.”

Mr Carroll hands over the CEO role to former federal sports minister and long-time sports administrator Mark Arbib following this weekend’s AOC AGM.

Originally published as Outgoing Olympic Committee boss Matt Carroll backs Victoria Park stadium but issues stern venue warning