Former AOC boss John Coates says Jessica Hull can lead a record haul as IOC ramps up drug testing

He was the man who presided over Australia’s Sydney Games’ success. Now, John Coates says Australia can smash records in Paris as the IOC ramps up drug testing.

Olympics patriarch John Coates has declared Australia can win a record 60 medals in Paris and says Jessica Hull can emulate Cathy Freeman by becoming the nation’s latest Games golden girl.

In a wide-ranging interview with this masthead, IOC vice-president Coates also put drug cheats on notice, revealing target testing will be ramped-up in the wake of the doping scandal involving China before the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

Former Australian Olympic Committee boss Coates was the architect of the magnificent Sydney 2000 Games in which Australia clinched a record total of 58 medals, including 16 gold.

Departing IOC vice-president John Coates says Australia can set a new medal record in Paris.

Since the Sydney showpiece, Australia have twice struck gold more frequently, claiming 17 at Athens in 2004 before equalling that mark at the most recent Games in Tokyo three years ago.

But on the eve of the Paris Games opening ceremony, departing IOC vice-president Coates believes Australia can celebrate a French Revolution with the most successful campaign of their 128-year Olympic history.

“I’m really excited by what’s to come ... this is a strong Australian team,” Coates said.

MEDAL MANIA

While the AOC is reluctant to set medal targets, Coates is confident Australia’s 460 athletes can re-write the record books.

“I think we will do very well,” said Coates, whose tenure with the IOC ends this year.

“The Australian Olympic Committee doesn’t set a medal target, but the Australian media does.

“It will be hard to see exactly where we end up but I believe we should be somewhere in the 50-to-60 medal region.

“It’s hard to speculate on how many gold we win, as that is always very heavily dependent on swimming.

Ariarne Titmus and the Australian swim team are eyeing more medals in Paris. Picture: Adam Head.

“Paris will be a test. We came sixth (in the medal tally) last time in Tokyo, but if you take out Russia, how are those medals going to be distributed?

“There’s a challenge coming from France — they could go past Australia in the rankings in these Olympics.

“It’s been clear over the last few years that the host nation France is doing very, very well. It’s been reported over here that France is targeting something like 25 gold medals, which would be an amazing improvement for them.”

FUNDING THREAT

Coates concedes Australia’s future Olympic funding hinges on robust performance in Paris.

The AOC has committed $35 million to Olympic sports in Paris and Coates says Australia’s elite athletes cannot slip up in France to ensure strong funding with a view to another home Games at Brisbane in 2032.

“The bottom line is all of our institutes of sports, they are keenly looking at performances and results,” he said.

“The important thing as we head to Brisbane is for us to be strong in terms of medals and rankings.

“To do that, we need to be strong in a number of key sports.

“Back in Sydney, when we finished fourth in the overall tally and fourth in the gold medal tally, we medalled in around 20 sports and disciplines.

Former AOC boss John Coates says Australia is under pressure to perform in Paris.

“That has dropped off and it’s got as low as 14 (medalling sports).

“If you want to do well, you have to do well in many sports and particularly you have to look at some of the sports which aren’t so strong in Australia, but which might have 20 events, such as taekwondo, judo, wrestling and gymnastics.

“Those sports are areas where the European countries and Japan do well in.

“We are reliant very heavily on swimming, athletics, cycling and rowing, but we need to be doing well in more sports and there are signs of that starting to emerge.”

DOPING CRACKDOWN

The integrity of the Olympics movement was rocked by an American report in April which revealed 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive to a banned drug before the 2021 Tokyo Games.

The World Anti-Doping Agency confirmed the report, but said the Chinese athletes were allowed to compete in Tokyo after they accepted claims of food contamination at the team’s hotel.

The IOC spent $30.4 million on doping-control provisions and allocations to WADA in 2022. Coates says the governing body is watching all nations closely in Paris, including China.

The IOC will be ramping up drug testing in Paris in the wake of the Chinese scandal before the Tokyo Games.

“One of the recommendations from this case involving China did recommend more testing,” Coates said.

“There will be significantly more testing and targeted testing (in Paris).

“I am sure we (Australia) and the Americans are being targeted, too.

“WADA sets the anti-doping rules. It monitors the results, but there is another authority funded by the IOC called the International Testing Agency (ITA) and it’s only been set up in the last 10 years. It is doing an exceptional job.

“The IOC is the dominant financial force behind the ITA and the storage of samples. If competitions are to be fair, then we will protect the health of the athletes.

“The gap (between the drug cheats and the testers) is closing.”

HULL OF A STAR

It was Coates who chose Freeman to light the Sydney flame in 2000. The Indigenous legend went on to win the hearts of a nation when, under searing scrutiny, she stormed home to win gold in the women’s 400m final.

Now, more than two decades later, Coates believes Hull can be Australia’s golden girl in the 1500m. The 27-year-old from Albion Park put her Paris rivals on notice a fortnight ago, smashing the world record in the 2000m with a sizzling 5:19.70 in Monaco.

“I think Jessica Hull can be a star,” Coates said.

Coates says Hull can light up the track in Paris, just as Cathy Freeman did in Sydney.

“One of the pleasing things over the last four years has been the re-emergence of our athletics team.

“We have a lot of great talents in the track-and-field events.

“Jessica Hull ... what she is doing at the moment, she is unbelievable. She could be a chance for gold.

“I’m looking forward to seeing our swimmers and I have an interest in my sport, rowing. I will be finding plenty to do and watch in Paris.”

RIVERS OF GOLD

Coates presided over arguably the greatest opening ceremony in Olympics history in 2000. Paris organisers are rolling the dice by launching the Games along the River Seine.

“I welcome it as an attempt to do something different, an attempt to take the Games to the people,” Coates said.

The Paris opening ceremony will be held on the River Seine.

“I am looking forward to it. They are working on final rehearsals and making sure all the different stakeholders and the teams in particular understand what is required of them.

“I am not saying it’s something we should replicate in Brisbane, but it’s a great concept and I think it will work in France.”

AUSTRALIA’S GAMES FREEZE

After Brisbane 2032, it’s possible the Olympics may not return Down Under for another 50 years.

Coates fears the demands of America’s broadcasting rights holders could see Australia frozen out as an Olympics host due to climate concerns.

“The difficulty with having another Olympics in Australia is timing and the weather,” Coates said.

“The games now have to be held in July-August and that’s largely a broadcast requirement into the biggest markets.

“Because of the broadcast rights that have been sold to America, the IOC is committing $1.8 billion to the operating costs of Brisbane 2032.

Australia may never see another Olympics after Brisbane 2032 due to TV rights.

“Melbourne has the venues (to host a future Olympics), but the 1956 Games were held in November-December.

“We had the Sydney Games in September-October, which was the same time period as the Seoul Olympics in 1988, but that was pretty touch and go in terms of weather.

“That’s the difficulty for Sydney and Melbourne moving forward.

“There are 11 cities that have expressed interest in 2036 and 2040, so I’m just pleased we got in when we did with Brisbane.

“Australia is one of the great Olympic sporting nations. I’m sure it will come again, but who knows when and in what form.

“I don’t think seeing another Olympics here is something me and you have to worry about in our lifetime.”

Originally published as Former AOC boss John Coates says Jessica Hull can lead a record haul as IOC ramps up drug testing