The new Olympic sports we could see in Brisbane 2032 Games

Senior members of the International Olympic Committee will tour potential Brisbane 2032 venues in southeast Queensland this week, including for several new additions to the Games.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will escort senior members of the International Olympic Committee on a tour of southeast Queensland this week and visit venues that could host virtual sports and cricket in 2032.

Committee delegates including sports director Christophe Dubi and former Olympic swimming star Kirsty Coventry will tour Brisbane venues including the Gabba, and parts of the Gold and Sunshine coasts across the next three days from Tuesday.

The delegates will visit the likes of Broadbeach and the Glass House Mountains escorted by the Premier, Deputy Premier Steven Miles and Sports Minister Stirling Hinchliffe.

IOC president Thomas Bach will meet up with the Brisbane “A-team” on Saturday to reacquaint himself with the city a decade out from the 2032 world event.

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach and Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Jeremy Piper

It will be the party’s first visit to Queensland since the Sunshine State was pitched to the IOC in a Zoom meeting.

Mr Bach, who travelled to Australia to attend an early planning meeting for the Games on Sunday, provided insight to what could be in store for viewers and athletes in 2032.

Mr Bach said sports that were “well appreciated” by younger generations would be a focus when deciding what sports would be included.

His comments were backed up by Brisbane’s co-ordination commission chair Ms Coventry, who said there was a “long line” of candidates including cricket and virtual sports.

Cricket is one of the sports being considered for Brisbane 2032. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

“As seen with Tokyo and previous Games it’s really reaching the young generations and getting them inspired by the Olympic dream,” Ms Coventry said.

“So while we are still a little bit too far on deciding on sports, that’s where we will heavily rely on the community and the Brisbane team to really give us guidance.”

Ms Coventry said she was a lover of all sports, a watcher of Australian Rules Football and came from a cricketing nation.

“I mean cricket adds to a long line, we are testing out virtual series already which has been a huge success,” she said.

“There are so many ways we can look at this, so we have to take it step by step. Be able to evaluate the sport as a whole and now it integrates, its values and how it influencing youth today.”

Kirsty Coventry said there was a long line of potential sports set for Brisbane Games including cricket and virtual sports. Picture: Mark Metcalfe

It comes after karate, skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing all made debuts at the Tokyo Games, while breakdancing is set to debut in Paris in 2024.

Ms Palaszczuk said campaigns were already underway to find the next generation of Ian Thorpes, Susie O’Neills and Cathy Freemans.

“We have a 10-year runway in the lead-up to the Games,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“And our state is incredible enthusiastic. It’s going to be a Games not just for Queensland but for Australia.

“The opportunity for southeast Queensland is immense. I know the enthusiasm that Australia had for the Sydney Games, Brisbane will have just as much as that if not more.”