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≡ IOC COORDINATION COMM. ≡
The International Olympic Committee’s third Brisbane 2032 Coordination Commission meeting concluded on Thursday with a news conference, attended by both IOC President-elect Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) – the former commission head – and IOC member Mikaela Cojuangco-Jaworski (PHI), the new head of the Coordination Commission.
Both were highly complimentary of the continuing work of the organizing committee and of the support from governments at the national, state and local levels. Coventry told Brisbane 2032 President Andrew Liveris and chief executive Cindy Hook (USA):
“You have a great team that are so passionate, but not just passionate, but are so capable, and you have enormous capacity. I’m so excited to see where these next seven years are going. …
“My [Olympic] journey started in Sydney in 2000, and I’m very excited about what Brisbane 2032 is going to do, not just for the region, but for Australia and for the world.”
Cojuangco-Jaworski summarized the whirlwind series of meetings and tours that the commission experienced over the three days, and observed:
● “So what we have taken from these discussions over the past few days is that collaboration is already strong, and we really see this as the key to making the Games truly exceptional.”
● “It’s not simply that we want to deliver and event and make it the best event, it’s about also creating a lasting legacy for the people of this region that will begin way before the opening ceremony and last until way after.
“Since the organizing committee’s formation in 2021, we’ve seen significant progress, including the development of a comprehensive Games plan, with a sustainable approach.”
● “Through our regular engagement with the organizing committee, we are confident that Brisbane 2032 is on the right path.”
She said the International Federations will now become more involved with the technical needs of the venues. Additionally, the Brisbane 2032 organizers are considering what added sports they want to propose; Hook said that more than a dozen IFs have already approached them.
Liveris observed:
“Really, the word already used, a really key word – I’ll sort of say, thematically – from day one to this very day, but through these three days: collaboration. I think the ‘collaboration’ word is one that I hope that we’ll never lose out of our vocabulary, as go from phase to phase to phase, issue to issue to issue, phone call at all time of night or day, that collaboration word is a primacy. It means a lot to Cindy and I, we certainly see that with our Games Delivery partners.”
And with his usual enthusiasm, declared:
“Brisbane and Queensland will definitely benefit from this, as the legacy that will be put in place for our citizens will endure before, during and well after the Games came and went, and we will put on the greatest show.
“Please quote me constantly on that.”
Asked about the milestones the IOC would like to see by the time of the 2028 Los Angeles Games, Cojuangco-Jaworski cited:
“Venues, not just that they be finalized, but broken ground already, making a lot of progress; sport program, of course; emblems and vision … another thing that I think is very interesting is the procurement process, because I think this is one of the best ways that everybody – well, not everybody – but there will be a lot of engagement, involvement opportunities.”
Liveris also added the domestic sponsorship program, which is a key element of the projected budget.
As for the construction timetable, Liveris said extensive discussions are continuing with the government(s) who will fund and build the designated new venues – including a new stadium in Victoria Park that will hold the ceremonies and track & field – and the needs:
“We need the venues well in ahead of 2032, to state the obvious. We have, in an ideal world, 12 months of use before. We do not want to be building same-year, so they know that.”
He thought that groundbreaking on the larger sites would probably come late in 2026.
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