Brisbane Olympics 2032 venue announcement: Hockey the first big winner

Hockey is the first big winner of Olympic venue announcement day after succeeding in its emotional campaign to have the tournament on the Gold Coast and not at Ballymore.

Hockey is the first big winner of Olympic venue announcement day after succeeding in its emotional campaign to have the tournament on the Gold Coast and not at Ballymore.

The initial plan by the Queensland government was to have the hockey at Ballymore, home of the Queensland Reds in Brisbane, but the 100-day review recommended it be taken to the Gold Coast facility which hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2018 and will now be upgraded.

Hockey officials were tipped off on Sunday there was a late push to take it back to Ballymore but Queensland Premier David Crisafulli will announce at today’s Courier-Mail, Future Brisbane lunch at Howard Smith Wharves that the push for Gold Coast has landed the prize.

It’s all smiles for hockey with the 2032 Olympics set to be played on the Gold Coast. Picture: Getty Images

Hockey Australia will be relieved by the announcement because they wanted a legacy venue that could hold major competitions. The Ballymore ground was not going to be used for hockey after the Games.

“We strongly believe the legacy starts now,’’ Hockey Queensland CEO Alison Lyons said on Sunday.

“A new venue would be great because we are very keen to host major events here which we have not been able to do since the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

“Before that it was the Champions Trophy in 1999. The reason is our facilities don’t meet international standards.’’

Hockey officials were tipped off on Sunday there was a late push to take it back to Ballymore.

Lyons said it would have been a “disaster’’ for hockey to have the tournament at Ballymore because there was no legacy value and the pitches may not have met the requirements of the International Hockey Federation.’’