By Karolos Grohmann
(Reuters) – Brisbane’s bid to host the 2032 summer Olympics got the backing of Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday, who told the International Olympic Committee all levels of government were firmly behind the candidacy.
Brisbane was named as the preferred choice for the 2032 Games late last month, beating several other cities and countries who had publicly expressed an interest, and will now enter into a detailed dialogue with the IOC before any final decision is taken.
“Every level of government is working together to deliver Brisbane 2032,” Morrison told the IOC session via a short video message. “We will leave nothing to chance as we work with you during this period of dialogue.”
“We want to be a trusted partner, a certain partner in uncertain times,” Morrison said, adding his country could deliver another successful Games after Melbourne 1956 and Sydney 2000.
“It would be a greater honour for Australia to once again host your Games.”
The IOC praised Brisbane’s candidacy, saying it provided stability to the Olympic movement amid turbulent times.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics last year became the first Games to be postponed outside world-war periods, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Brisbane presented an excellent opportunity to secure the future of the Olympic movement at times of uncertainty,” Kristin Kloster Aasen, who heads the IOC’s future host commission, told the session.
She cited the positive technical assessment of Brisbane’s plans, a favourable economic outlook for the region and the country as well as strong political, private sector and public support.
“Moving to a targeted dialogue means we are moving the project to a second stage,” Kloster Aasen said. “It does not however mean we are electing an Olympic host now.”
Other countries and cities interested in the 2032 Games included, Indonesia, the Hungarian capital Budapest, China, Doha and Germany’s Ruhr valley.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Toby Davis)
