Jarrod Bleijie confident of solutions for any Fitzroy River Olympic rowing concerns

The Deputy Premier has dismissed concerns about the Fitzroy River, including currents, assuring ‘good solutions’ will be found to ensure 2032 Olympic rowing plans go ahead.

Queensland Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie believes any problems regarding the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton playing host to the 2032 Olympic rowing can be surmounted. Photo: Dan Peled / NewsWire

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie has dismissed concerns about technical requirements for the 2032 Rockhampton Olympic rowing stating he is sure that “we will have good solutions.”

The comments were made at a press conference in Rockhampton this week when Mr Bleijie was asked about concerns the Fitzroy River current won’t meet Olympic technical requirements.

“I think locally when people ask you about the technical specifics of rowing you can point out to people… in LA rowing does not meet the technical standards of rowing federation when it’s at the LA 2028 Games,” he said.

The plans to host the 2032 Olympic rowing events on the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton has been mired in controversy since the plan was announced.

“But they are still proceeding with it in 2028 because they have shortened the course.”

The 2028 LA Olympic rowing regatta is set to be held at Marine Stadium in Long Beach, California and will be conducted on a 1500m course instead of a 2000m course.

According to the World Rowing website this is due to a bridge having been built at the location, which during the 1932 LA Olympics also hosted the rowing events.

The 1932 Olympic rowing course was the full 2000m.

Mr Bleijie said the Queensland Government was focused on sticking to the current plan for the Olympics.

AI image of 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games venues: Rowing at the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton.

“The International Olympic Committee and World Rowing have shown that they will change the technical requirements to suit a location so the government has chosen Rocky as the location,” he said.

“The government hasn’t changed its position on that and will not change its position on that.

“I don’t think any of the issues that anyone has raised is insurmountable to solution… I am sure we will have good solutions for rowing in Rocky just as they have in other Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

On July 1, Premier David Crisafulli said the Fitzroy was good enough for the Olympics and hit out against what he described as “absurd claims” regarding the river.

There are no concrete dates for World Rowing to come to Rockhampton set yet.

Originally published as Jarrod Bleijie confident of solutions for any Fitzroy River Olympic rowing concerns