2032 Olympics: Inspired selection of Brisbane as preferred host is boost Australia has been yearning

Being the preferred host for the 2032 Olympics isn’t just a coup for Brisbane, it’s also an endorsement for commonsense and Australia’s knack for being able to get the job done.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 25: President of the Australian Olympic Committee John Coates speaks to the media during a press conference after the IOC announced targeted dialogue ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games bid, at Queensland Parliament House on February 25, 2021 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Jono Searle/Getty Images)

The inspired selection of Brisbane as the preferred host for the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics is the shot in the arm for all Australians looking for some light at the end of the Covid tunnel.

Ignore the bleating that will come from all the usual sourpusses who still don’t have a clue what sport means to Australia’s national identity, because beating the likes of China and Qatar for the right to host the biggest event in the world is a win that everyone should be thumping their chests over.

This isn’t just a coup for Brisbane and Southeast Queensland, it’s also an endorsement for commonsense and Australia’s knack for being able to get the job done.

John Coates is the genius behind Brisbane’s bid.

The genius behind Brisbane’s bid is Sydney lawyer John Coates, Australia’s most influential and respected Olympic powerbroker, but the beneficiaries of his connections will be generations of Australians from all walks of life.

Just think back to when Sydney hosted the Olympics. It’s been more than two decades on, but the memories and the legacies remain as fresh and as motivating as ever.

While Brisbane will be the centrepiece of the 2032 Games, events will also be shared around the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast as well as Toowoomba and Ipswich and Far North Queensland.

Other states will also get a slice of the Olympic pie, with NSW pencilled in to host soccer matches at the new football stadium at Moore Park.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg for NSW, which has already secured a series of major lead up events before 2032, including the world cross country championships, the world road cycling championships and the women’s basketball and soccer World Cups.

“You don’t have to be a sports fan to understand the profound impact hosting these major events can have on host cities, regional areas and the nation,” federal sports Minister Richard Colbeck said.

Australian athletes will also benefit, with funding to increase, not just for elite competitors chasing gold medals but also at grassroots levels with the government launching national health programs, tackling everything from obesity to suicide prevention to increased sporting participation, which will now all be linked to the 2032 Games.

“This would be a beautiful beacon on the hill for all Australians to look towards,” Australian Sports Commission Chair Josephine Sukkar said.

Sophie Burger and Gretta Johnson are excited about the prospect of a Brisbane Olympics.

Even though the Games are 11 years away, the anticipation of their arrival can already help lift the Covid gloom.

“Things have been tough,” Sport Australia CEO Rob Dalton said.

“But we’ve said all along that sport will play a prominent role in lifting the nation’s energy and spirits again, and there are few events that can match the inspiration of a home Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Originally published as 2032 Olympics: Inspired selection of Brisbane as preferred host is boost Australia has been yearning