Brisbane Tapped for Next Aussie Olympic Bid, Peter Norman Honors

(ATR) Southeastern Queensland could form the next bid from Australia for the Olympics – one day -- says Australian Olympics Committee President John Coates.

In his report to the annual general meeting of the AOC this weekend, Coates laid out the expectations for a future Olympic bid. With the Games secured through 2028, the earliest prospect for Australia is 2032.

Coates says a precondition of a bid would be the impact of cost-savings brought on by the IOC "New Norm" policy of stringent efficiency and economy in staging the Olympics. Coates is leading that campaign already in Tokyo, where he is chair of the IOC coordination commission. Under his watch, $2.1 billion has been cut from the Tokyo budget.

"At home the savings will have a major bearing on whether a bid for the 2032 Olympic Games from Brisbane and the six surrounding cities in South-East Queensland is feasible," Coates said.

"The AOC Executive consider Brisbane the only major Australian city climatically able to host the Games within the IOC’s required July-August window," Coates noted. With seasons reversed in the southern hemisphere, tropical Queensland truly is the only Australian locale at that time of the year with predictable warmth.

Sydney 2000 was held the last two weeks of September, Melbourne 1956 in November.

Weather aside, Coates says there is no hurry to mount a bid for an Olympics still 14 years away.

"But this is down the track. First, the SEQ Council of Mayors, chaired by the Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Councillor Graham Quirk, are undertaking a study to establish a regional transport plan; identifying essential transport priority projects; and, stakeholder alignment.

"They will then complete a venue and facilities audit, identifying any required new venues, facilities and major sites as part of a preferred Olympic Games Master Plan.

"Without first addressing the region’s existing transport infrastructure shortcomings, hosting the 2032 Games is not feasible.

"The AOC Executive is encouraged by and supports this approach," Coates said as he ended his remarks on a new Olympic bid.

Bitter Battle Not Forgotten

Coates spoke one year after the 2017 AGM and a bitter challenge for re-election to the presidency. The drama hasn’t been forgotten by Coates who blasted those behind the challenge.

"And that this was done by those seeking to present themselves as the solution. That the AOC was besmirched by exaggerated claims and pejorative hyperbole, expressed for political advantage.

"And that those who claimed a motivation to protect the AOC’s reputation more closely resembled both arsonist and firefighter."

Peter Norman Honored

Peter Norman, the Australian sprinter who stood in solidarity with Americans John Carlos and Tommie Smith during their protest at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, posthumously received the Order of Merit at the AOC meeting Saturday in Sydney.

Norman was ostracized for silently assenting to the protest by the fellow medalists in the 200m. The silver medalist was expelled from the Games for wearing a protest badge during the medal ceremony while Carlos and Smith, gold and bronze medalists held their black-gloved fists in the air.

Norman was not selected for the 1972 Australian team for Munich, despite his record-setting speed on the track.

"While the AOC has nothing to rectify in terms of our treatment of Peter at the time, I suggest we have been negligent in not recognizing him as a very great and significant Australian Olympian," says Coates.

"To recognise Peter, I have recommended that we posthumously award him our Order of Merit during this 50-year anniversary of the Mexico Games."

Raelene Boyle, Shane Gould, Ian Thorpe and Cathy Freeman are the other recipients of the AOC’s top honor. br />

Written by Ed Hula

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