Brisbane to receive major boost in 2032 Olympics bid

Australia is on the verge of taking a huge step that would see Brisbane become a hot favourite to host the Olympics in 2032.

Brisbane is reportedly set to receive a massive boost in its bid to host the Olympics by being anointed as a frontrunner for the 2032 Games.

While this year’s delayed Tokyo Games remain under a cloud because of COVID-19, the race for who will host the Olympics three cycles from now is still on in earnest and Australia is hoping to receive hosting rights again.

Kayo is your ticket to the best sport streaming Live & On-Demand. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >

Well-known Olympics website Inside the Games reports the International Olympic Committee will recommend Brisbane as the preferred destination for the 2032 event, possibly as early as Wednesday night.

If the IOC board agrees with the proposal put forward by its Future Host Summer Commission, then Brisbane would be well on the way to planning for an Olympics 32 years after Sydney lasted hosted the Games Down Under.

Inside the Games reports Queensland’s bid has impressed the Future Host Summer Commission and if its submission to the IOC board is received favourably, then exclusive negotiations would open up between the Sunshine State and the IOC to develop a roadmap towards 2032.

As reported by Nine, the Australian Olympic Committee released a statement on Wednesday saying: “The Brisbane, Queensland candidature is following the process approved by IOC members in session in 2019.

“We are aware that the IOC executive board will receive presentations from a number of commissions at its meeting tonight, including the Future Host Commission.

“We are not privy to that presentation but look forward to any advice in due course.”

Brisbane would look good hosting the Olympics.

History is littered with stories of infrastructure and venues going to waste after Olympics, while the economic costs associated with hosting the Games often blow out.

But Brisbane’s bid focuses on using existing infrastructure — last year Queensland premier Anastasia Palaszczuk said 85 per cent of it was already in place — and a sizeable handout from the IOC would ease economic concerns.

A tick next to Brisbane’s name would be bad news for rival 2032 bidders, including Doha (Qatar), Budapest (Hungary) and a possible joint bid involving North and South Korea. Paris is set to host the 2024 Olympics, while the Games are scheduled to go to Los Angeles in 2028.

In January Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner told the Sydney Morning Herald there was plenty of optimisim around Queensland’s bid.

“It’s very exciting. All three levels of government are on board and working feverishly,” he said.

“There was a lull for a period last year where there wasn’t so much talk about the Olympics, but that didn’t mean things weren’t continuing behind the scenes. Now, it’s just a matter of getting down to targeted discussions and hopefully make it a reality.

“That is something that could happen any time now.”