Tokyo Olympics 2021: John Coates responds to outrage over comments Qld Premier

AOC boss John Coates says he was trying to help Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk out of a tricky political situation when he demanded that she go to Olympic Games Opening Ceremony.

Olympic king-maker John Coates said he was doing Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk a favour when he publicly ordered her to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.

Mr Coates, who was instrumental in Brisbane’s successful bid for the 2032 Olympics, made headlines when he interrupted Ms Palaszczuk at a press conference, “directing’’ her and Sports Minister Richard Colbeck to attend Friday night’s ceremony.

John Coates says he and Annastacia Palaszczuk are great friends. Picture: Jono Searle/Getty Images

Ms Palaszczuk, whose trip to Tokyo had proved unpopular in the context of Queensland’s border closures, had been attempting to navigate a political minefield by saying she would not attend the ceremony and would instead watch on TV from her hotel room.

The intervention from Mr Coates has proved controversial, but the sports supremo said Ms Palaszczuk was happy with his intervention, and that the public couldn’t see he was smiling behind his face-mask.

“I was doing her a favour. She’s very happy with me. I went to help her,’’ he said.

John Coates with Annastacia Palaszczuk after Brisbane was named as host of the 2032 Olympics. (Photo by Toru Hanai/Getty Images)

Mr Coates said his “direction’’ had been a joke and “people had taken it the wrong way.’’

“The point I was making was she, the minister and the Lord Mayor should go,’’ he said.

“I’m so close to her (Ms Palaszczuk). She’s totally relaxed. Ask her.

“We came back here (to the hotel) together. She came up to my room with the rest of the team.’’

Mr Coates said the controversy was an “an absolute bloody beat-up”.

“If people don’t understand my way of doing something, well Jesus Christ.’’