Games boss still bullish

BRISBANE’S Olympic bid may be in hibernation, but Games boss John Coates believes it has been boosted by Australia’s COVID-19 response and is capable of “jetcharging” the local economy.

Australian Olympic officials have joined governments in publicly “parking” the bid for the 2032 Olympics until the world emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, but behind the scenes the AOC is maintaining contact with three levels of government to ensure the bid does not lose momentum.

“We are ahead of the game with the other candidate cities — I can say that,” AOC president Coates said.

“We have parked it for the moment domestically but we have been going ahead with our meetings with the international federations to settle the master plan.”

While the COVID-19 crisis may have devastated Queensland’s financial reserves the safe course negotiated through the pandemic by Australia as a nation has, according to Coates, enhanced Australia's prospects of being the chosen city when the verdict is announced, probably in 2022.

“We have responded very well across the country and that will not go unnoticed.

“We already have a reputation as having safe hands in terms of hosting sporting events. We have done it with World Cup rugby. We have done it with the Olympics in Sydney. We just continue to do it well.

“[The Brisbane bid] is a very, very strong candidature.

Don’t worry, a lot has been happening behind the scenes. We have been looking at venues and how to save money.

“When the three levels of government are ready to go we have plans which could jet-charge the economy.”

Far from being a financial millstone to be carried by future generations, Coates believes the new “cost-neutral” protocols designed to enable the host country to break even can spur a financial recovery. “It’s not just infrastructure,” he said. “There have been 700 broadcasters in Tokyo for the last two years. That all helps the economy. And it wouldn’t just be South-East Queensland.”

Brisbane is the warm favourite to get the Games ahead of bids from Indonesia, Germany, Spain and North and South Korea.