Coates: Brisbane Olympics must not become a white elephant

Australian Olympic supremo John Coates says the looming death of the Commonwealth Games is proof that the 2032 Brisbane Games must be delivered to a tight budget.

International Olympic Committee member and Australian Olympic supremo John Coates called out the royals. Picture: Evan Morgan

Australian Olympic supremo John Coates has questioned why the British royal family did not do more to help save the Commonwealth Games after Malaysia emerged as the event’s unlikely saviour – thanks to a $194 million sweetener from Victorian taxpayers.

In welcoming the news that Malaysia is considering hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games after being promised a truckload of free money, Coates said he was dismayed that the newly crowned head of the Commonwealth didn’t at least try to persuade his English servants to put their hands up when they already have all the facilities to host the multi-sport event.

“There are cities in England,” Coates said at Wednesday’s launch of the Australian rowing championships in Sydney.

“Manchester’s had a Games (2002 Commonwealth), Birmingham’s had a Games (2022 Commonwealth), London’s had a Games (2012 Olympics).

“I was disappointed that one of them didn’t put their hand up. If the Commonwealth’s important to anyone, it should be King Charles.”

King Charles.

The Commonwealth Games – which started in 1930 as the British Empire Games – looked to be in serious danger of collapsing after former Victorian premier Dan Andrews reneged on his promise to stage the 2026 edition with less than three year’s notice.

The Victorian taxpayers were whacked with a $380 million exit penalty which the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has since offered to split with any new potential host in a desperate bid to keep the so-called Friendly Games going.

Malaysian sports officials have taken the bait and said they are interested, just as long as they can do it on the cheap, using many of the same facilities from when Kuala Lumpur previously hosted the Games in 1998.

Members of the Australian team parade during the opening ceremony of the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur..

Coates said Malaysia’s prudent financial model, which centres around using existing infrastructure and venues rather than building new ones, was a no-brainer.

“I think that there’s a belief that they will add up in Kuala Lumpur because it had them recently and Mr. Andrews is going to give them some money to help along the way,” Coates said.

Coates, who is part of the organising committee for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics and Paralympics, said the news was a timely reminder to Australian sports and officials currently putting their hands out asking for taxpayers to foot the bill for new venues.

The Petronas Twin Towers in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, which could host the 2026 Commonwealth Games, as the city did in 1998.

Swimming Australia, already one of the country’s most heavily funded sports, released a statement on the weekend, arguing why it believes it deserves a brand new aquatics centre in Queensland.

Other sporting bodies, such as the NRL, are advocating for Suncorp Stadium to get a makeover after Coates called for the scrapping of a proposed $2.7 billion Gabba rebuild.

Former Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk is leading an independent review into Queensland venues and while Coates has no say in the verdict, he hopes sporting bodies remember the deal to secure the Games was based on keeping costs to a minimum.

“The Olympic Games should be what they have to be under the new norm, and that is the use of existing venues with upgrades or, if they’re not existing, then already planned venues,” Coates said.

“The Olympic Games are no longer an opportunity for the International Federations to make demands on organising committees and to leave us with white elephants afterwards.

“You’ll find for Paris, there was a planned aquatics venue and that’s all. The rest are all the existing venues. In our case, even with the Commonwealth Games in 2018, Brisbane had 83% of the venues already existing, and some were planned.”

ROWERS SEARCH FOR A NICKNAME

THEY are one of Australia’s best sporting teams – but are missing the one thing that will make them a household name.

The Australian rowing team don’t have a nickname – but want one in time for Paris.

And they want the public’s help.

A lot of the best ones have already been taken up – the Kangaroos, the Wallabies, Matildas, Boomer, Dolphins and Diamonds – which is why Rowing Australia is going public.

Instead of Go Fund Me, Rowing Australia wants the public to Go Name Me, with the sport’s progressive CEO Sarah Cooke launching a national competition at Wednesday’s launch of the Australian championships.

Australian women's pairs team of Jess Morrison and Annabelle McIntyre on their way to winning the World Cup in Switzerland. Picture: Vera Buscu/Rowing Australia

“This is a landmark moment for Australian rowing. We’re not just looking for a name, we’re looking for an identity that will capture our rich history of success, teamwork and excellence,” Cook said.

“We’re inviting the Australian public to be a part of our journey, to help us find a name that reflects our collective spirit and ambition. We can’t wait to represent a name that will stand tall on the global stage and instil pride in our athletes and supporters.”

Historically, rowing is one of Australia’s best four Olympic sports, along with swimming, athletics and cycling, but there are high hopes for something special at this year’s Olympics in Paris.

While the team is embarking on a mission to win a first gold medal in the eights, the team holds high hopes in a range of events, involving both men and women.

“We’ve probably got to be on a six or seven medal prospects, which would be the best chances that we’ve gone into an Olympic Games for a very long time,” Cook said.

“If all of those materialise, this could be our most successful games for rowing ever. Of course, all of those things have to come together and the Olympics is a bit like that, it all comes down to one race on one day and all the stars aligning.”

Originally published as Coates: Brisbane Olympics must not become a white elephant