After Sydney in 2000, the Games will therefore return to Australia in 2032, as the IOC (International Olympic Committee) just announced on Wednesday.
It will be in Brisbane, capital of the state of Queensland, on the east coast.
If the third most populous city in the country (1.6 million inhabitants) is already designated eleven years before the deadline, this is however neither by default, nor by haste.
Unsuccessful candidate for 1992 (attributed to Barcelona), Brisbane positioned itself in 2019 to succeed Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028. Recently, Qatar, the alliance of Korea (North and South) and the state of Rhineland- North Westphalia in Germany (where the floods take place) have also occurred.
Except that the odds had been made for many months.
"The only site with which the IOC was involved was Brisbane," explains Kévin Bernardi, founder and editor of the "Sport & Society" site, a major specialist in the Olympic question.
Her candidacy is the strongest and it's no surprise she was chosen.
Even if the principle of the rotation of the continents does not mean much any more, it was the most logical and the most reasonable choice.
"
Above all, it corresponds to a new way of doing the IOC.
Not so long ago, everything was calibrated: choice of candidates, hearings, visits, eliminations, final choice, precise dates and times, all wrapped up in an academic rigidity worthy of the former USSR, inevitably sprinkled with suspicion of corruption.
“Today, they no longer want to make a selection calendar in advance.
The future “host” (we now favor a region, here Brisbane and Gold Coast) comes forward and we enter a phase of dialogue.
If all the criteria are met, all you have to do is scroll.
"
The IOC has voted and named Brisbane the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Host City!
# Brisbane2032 @IOCmedia pic.twitter.com/PpEnn6Ktov
- Brisbane City (@brisbanecityqld) July 21, 2021
These famous criteria are numerous. They concern the quality and number of venues (stadiums, halls, swimming pool, etc.), hotel and transport capacity, political envy, popular support, responsible ecology, and of course a budget that will not ruin anyone ( if Brisbane, which provides 2.8 billion euros, quickly has the marketing rights, it will have eleven years to find sponsorship). Adding others may end up convincing the decision-makers of the International Olympic Committee.
The experience of the past and therefore a certain know-how are thus additional assets: "This is the opportunity to come back to a territory that provides many medals," continues Kévin Bernardi.
Australians are passionate and Sidney has been fondly remembered.
The insistence of John Cox
(Editor's note: one of the great figures of Olympism, current president of coordination in Tokyo)
was rewarded.
The city was already in discussions for 2024 but he had to tell himself that it was not the right timing.
"
Qatar, Budapest or Istanbul in 2036?
In the meantime, Gold Coast organized the Commonwealth Games in 2018, and Brisbane claims 21 mobilizable sports venues, or 85% of the overall park. "They wanted to build at the start, but the IOC advised them to renovate," adds Kévin Bernardi. Setbacks like Rio (2016), Sochi (2014), and even Athens (2004) had cooled him down. We live in a society where we want to have everything right away, but gigantism is no longer possible for anyone. You can spend a lot to modernize, provided you do it well, like Barcelona (1992). "
We will have to get used to it: the trend will now be flexibility and reasonableness in the allocation of the next host sites. No more bling, which no one can afford economically. Those who can will also have to justify a strong sporting presence. "It remains to be seen whether this will last," concludes Kévin Bernardi, who cites Budapest, Qatar and Istanbul for 2036.