Tokyo Olympics 2021: Annastacia Palaszczuk humiliated by John Coates in an ugly exchange
John Coates and Australia have gone viral thanks to an ugly incident. The Premier’s golden night ended in disaster but she shouldn’t have allowed herself to be put into this position.
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It went from being the triumph of her political life to a humiliation in an instance.
Within moments a leaping Queensland Premier - who’d just won the world’s biggest sports event - was resigned to her seat in silence.
Annastacia Palaszczuk’s golden night on the global stage had been squashed by an unprompted intervention by one of the most powerful men in international sport.
It was an ugly incident at a post-announcement press conference when John Coates used a global focus to publicly wedge Ms Palaszczuk and insist - despite her earlier objections - that she would join him at Friday night’s opening ceremony in Tokyo.
In front of the world Ms Palaszczuk sat silently, awkwardly even, while 71-year-old Coates barked orders next to her.
“You are going,” he declared.
It was Coates’ first strike attack on the Premier that shocked the room.
Whether his intervention to insist she go to the opening ceremony to benefit Queensland was right or wrong - the result was indifferent.
Ms Palaszczuk had been humiliated on the global stage.
Coates’ order shocked the room and now, steadily, the world.
The Las Vegas Sun said the public disagreement put an early test to the old adage “that sports and politics don’t mix”.
Less than four hours after Queensland’s most significant victory the Australian camp was fractured.
Given the chance to clarify her position, a rattled Ms Palaszczuk was asked why she preferred to stay inside her hotel rather than travel to the opening ceremony.
The Premier could not find a single word - leaving Coates to again jump up and speak unprompted on her behalf.
It was a tense and awkward one-way exchange.
In one of the world’s most populated cities the usually stoic Queensland Premier cut a lonely figure.
Her golden night had ended in disaster.
News Corp first revealed on Tuesday Ms Palaszczuk was set to be invited and therefore forced by the all-conquering IOC to attend the opening ceremony.
The Premier’s emphatic refusal opened the door for Coates - Australia’s most feared sporting powerbroker - to put her on the spot and end the unity which that day had helped Brisbane win the games.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner woke early in Tokyo on Thursday to break ranks and declare he would go to the opening ceremony.
Ms Palaszczuk, a seasoned politician, shouldn’t have allowed herself to be put into this position.
She should have committed right from the start to attend the opening ceremony if Queensland won the Olympics.
Sitting in a tiny Japanese hotel room on her own does nothing to benefit the state.
Unfortunately, Coates’ intervention has changed the game - damned if she does, damned if she doesn’t.
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Originally published as Tokyo Olympics 2021: Annastacia Palaszczuk humiliated by John Coates in an ugly exchange
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