IOC President: Queensland Impresses for 2032 Olympics

(ATR) The prospects for a 2032 Olympics in Queensland grow brighter.

IOC President Thomas Bach heaped effusive praise on the plans underway from the Australian state after a five hour visit to IOC headquarters in Lausanne by a high-powered delegation.

The group included the Queensland premier, a mayor, representatives from the federal government, including the opposition party.

"This is not only impressive, but innovative to have all these parties there united behind this Olympic project and behind their sport in Australia and Australian athletes," declared Bach.

"It is fair to say that this project has all the ingredients to become a successful candidature," Bach continued with his encouragement.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palazczuk said she will return to Australia with the goal of producing what’s called a "value assessment" by the end of November. That assessment will be considered before a final decision is made on whether Queensland should formally bid.

Speaking at a press conference with Bach following the meeting in Lausanne, Palazczuk left little doubt that she believes Queensland will take the plunge.

"These will be the people’s games," she pledged. She says the Olympics would bring a "Goldenage" to Queensland

John Coates, IOC member as well as Australian Olympic Committee president, said the plans from southeastern Queensland are in good shape.

"Today’s exchange of information will certainly help strengthen that case, should Queensland decide to proceed with a candidature," he said.

"The IOC team could not have been more helpful in providing expert insight into where the Olympic movement is heading, how the Olympic sports program works, Games funding and the risks and opportunities Queensland should consider," he said.

Bach says the level of preparedness demonstrated by Queensland has made him confident that the IOC will be able to select a 2032 host city ahead of 2025, the normal timetable for the selection of a host.

A flexible timetable for choosing Olympic host cities is part of a package of reforms that will be presented in October at the next meeting of the IOC Executive Board, Bach said.

Included in these changes will be the creation of two permanent IOC commissions which will handle summer and winter Olympic bids. Bach says once those commissions are established, Queensland and other locations around the world will be able to begin formal conversations with the IOC about plans for the Games.

Australia has hosted the 1956 and 2000 Olympics.

While he did not mention them by name, Bach noted that other locations have expressed interest in 2032.

That group includes Indonesia, India, a joint North-South Korea bid and one from Germany.

Written by Ed Hula

For general comments or questions, click here .

25 Years at # 1: Your best source for news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com , for subscribers only.