Brisbane 2032 legacy should prioritise sport participation

The Olympic ideal of building a better world through sport isn’t just inspiring – it’s necessary, writes Professor Deborah Terry.

With just seven years until the Olympic cauldron is lit in Brisbane, it’s time to ask ourselves a big question: what kind of legacy do we want to leave behind?

Sure, we’ll get new stadiums, transport upgrades and our moment in the global spotlight.

But perhaps the most important legacy will involve using this moment to inspire more Queenslanders to actively participate in sport.

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The Olympic ideal of building a better world through sport isn’t just inspiring – it’s necessary.

In Queensland, and across Australia, we face rising rates of preventable chronic illness linked to inactivity. Loneliness and social disconnection are emerging as serious public health challenges. In this context, access to sport is not a luxury. It is a public good. A means of bringing people together, lifting physical and mental health, and helping communities to connect and thrive.

Big sporting events like the Olympic and Paralympic Games are known for sparking a sudden surge of participation.

YouFor2032 athletes Piper Snow, Hannah Johansson and Makayla Elcoate. Picture: Nigel Hallett

But the research continues to show that inspiration, alone, is not a strategy. Without careful planning and strategic investment, the momentum fades.

We saw this after the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The Matildas captured the nation’s imagination, and young girls in particular rushed to join local soccer clubs. But many of those clubs didn’t have the coaches, the programs, or the infrastructure to support that wave of interest. And so, some of the opportunity was lost.

The Head of UQ’s School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, Professor John Cairney reminds us that the “trickle-down theory” of Olympic legacy is flawed. It assumes that once the flame is lit, increased sporting participation will instantly follow.

Professor Cairney argues that to achieve lasting change, we need to leverage the Games – starting now with policies and investments that encourage sporting participation from the grassroots up.

It’s a notion that our State Government clearly understands and supports, given the Premier has already committed $250m to upgrade more than 100 community sports facilities across Queensland, under the Games On! program.

At UQ, we’re playing our part by partnering with major sporting bodies like Paralympics Australia, offering sports scholarships, and investing in an entirely new Fitness Centre at our St Lucia campus.

University of Queensland vice-chancellor Professor Deborah Terry AC.

Internationally, we’ve also seen examples of how this can be done. London used the 2012 Games to upgrade more than 100 community facilities and embed physical education in schools. Similarly, in the lead up to Paris 2024, the French Government built thousands of new sporting facilities and mandated 30 minutes of daily physical activity in primary schools.

It shows what’s possible when legacy is designed, rather than left to chance. So, if we are to realise the true potential of Brisbane 2032, we must design participation strategies that are well-resourced, deeply embedded in local communities, and truly inclusive – across the lifespan and across all abilities.

Let’s not wait until the flame is extinguished to ask what we could’ve done. Let’s light a legacy today for every Queenslander.

Professor Deborah Terry AC is Vice-Chancellor and President of UQ

Originally published as Brisbane 2032 legacy should prioritise sport participation