22 July2021
2032 Olympics: IOC confirms Brisbane as host
Games heading to Australia for third time as decision ratified at 138th IOC Session in Tokyo
- Brisbane was awarded preferred bidder status back in February
- Australia previously hosted the Olympics in Melbourne in 1956 and Sydney in 2000
Brisbane has been confirmed as the host city for the 2032 Olympic Games.
The Australian city was the only candidate but the decision still had to be ratified with a vote at the 138th International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Tokyo on 21st July.
IOC president Thomas Bach announced the outcome of the vote, which drew celebrations from members of the delegation present in Tokyo and from people who had gathered to hear the outcome in Brisbane, where there was a fireworks display. The Olympics will head to Australia for a third time, with Melbourne hosting in 1956 and Sydney in 2000.
Despite the lack of any opposition, the Brisbane delegation, which included Australian prime minister Scott Morrison appearing via video link, produced a lengthy presentation showcasing the strengths of the city and region.
The presentation focused on the inclusivity and environmental sustainability of the bid, with venues across Queensland set to be used. The dates will be the same as the current Games in Japan, with the opening ceremony on 23rd July and competition ending on 8th August. Paris will be the next host in 2024, with Los Angeles – which previously held the Games in 1984 – taking over the torch for 2028.
The news came a day after the IOC published its latest financial statement, which revealed a US$55.02 million deficit for the year ending 31st December 2020. The Lausanne-based body's revenue for 2020 stood at US$623.8 million compared to the US$3.52 billion the IOC made during the last Summer Olympics year in 2016.
However, this year's accounts do not include TV rights revenue for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which will be paid once the Games have been delivered this summer. As a result, the majority of the IOC's revenue last year came from its TOP sponsors, who contributed US$532.4 million.
