REMEMBER WHEN

Thursday, June 22, 2000

THE Gold Coast scored a huge goal in the lead-up to the 2000 Olympics when it was chosen to host world soccer giants and gold medal favourites Brazil for pre-Games training.

The city snared the preOlympic prize from Brisbane, host of three preliminary round matches of the Olympic tournament at the Gabba from September 13-20, which coincided with the first week of competition in Sydney.

The Brazilian team was made offers from Asian countries to undergo most of their Olympic preparations outside Australia.

Brazilian soccer officials confirmed the decision via a fax sent to Gold Coast mayor Gary Baildon. Earlier in June 2000, a delegation from Brazil flew in to meet Gold Coast City Council representatives.

In the fax, the general secretary of the Confederation of Brazil Football, Marco Antonio Telxeira, said the team had agreed to the council’s proposal and would forward its schedule.

“The Brazilian football team will be arriving (on the Gold Coast) on August 30 to begin our pre-season,” Mr Telxeira said.

The team, deemed one of the drawcards of the Olympics, in the lead-up, were based on the Gold Coast and trained daily at Carrara Stadium.

The Gold Coast also hosted the UK team at Couran Cove as they prepared for the Games.

Mr Baildon hailed the decision as a major tourism and economic coup for the region.

Brazil was knocked out in the quarter-finals of the Games by the ultimate gold medal winner Cameroon.

Cameroon beat Spain in the final via penalty shootout.