IOC approves Brisbane as preferred host of 2032 Olympic Games

Last Updated: February 25, 2021By
The Olympic Rings are pictured in front of the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Lausanne on March 22, 2020, as doubts increase over whether Tokyo can safely host the summer Games amid the spread of the COVID-19. – The global sporting calendar has been swept away by the coronavirus pandemic but the International Olympic Committee has insisted the Tokyo Games will go ahead in four months despite growing calls for a postponement. (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP)

International Olympic Committee (IOC) has approved Brisbane in Australia as its preferred host of 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The IOC is set to open exclusive negotiations – or “targeted dialogue” – with Australian officials over staging the Games in 11 years’ time following the Executive Board’s decision to approve a recommendation from the Future Host Summer Commission during its remote meeting.

insidethegames exclusively revealed that Brisbane would be installed as the IOC’s non-binding preferred bidder.

Kristin Kloster Aasen, the chair of the Future Host Summer Commission, said work would begin with Queensland officials “immediately” and results on the discussions will be presented to the Executive Board “in due course”.

Kloster Aasen suggested Queensland need only to submit documents and the required guarantees needed to host the Games before the commission is in a position to formally recommend Brisbane as the host for the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics.

While the Norwegian said it was “not a done deal”, it now appears all-but certain that Australia will host the Games for the first time since Sydney staged the event in 2000.

It is thought unlikely that the vote – where the IOC membership will be asked to green light a single candidate – will come at the Session planned to take place prior to the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Kloster Aasen cited the “very advanced Games concept”, the masterplan being proposed by Brisbane, Australia’s “high level” of experience in hosting major events and the “strong support” for the bid from Government officials as the main reasons for the recommendation.

“This is an important next step in an ongoing dialogue with the Future Host Commission,” said AOC President and IOC vice-president John Coates.

“We are very clear that we must continue to work hard in outlining our vision for a successful Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2032.”

Today’s confirmation will come as a disappointment to countries, including Qatar, India, Indonesia, China, Germany and Hungary, who had expressed an interest in staging the Games in 2032.

The Future Host Commission chair said the German Olympic and Sports Confederation had earlier this month opted against entering what it calls the continuous dialogue phase with the group, but did not refer to any other possible bidders.

Brisbane is set to be the first city awarded a Summer Olympic Games under the IOC’s new process for selecting the host of its flagship event.

The IOC in 2019 established Future Host Commissions, which identify and recommend venues for the Games and enter into dialogue with prospective countries and cities over staging the Summer and Winter Olympics.

This has led to the previous approach of pitting competing cities against one another to host the Olympics for a given year and then announcing the winner seven years in advance being abandoned.

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