There are reports that Australian Olympic Committee head John Coates has ruled out Melbourne or Brisbane bidding for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. Coates confirmed he had spoken to Sir Rod Eddington and Queensland Premier Anna Bligh about interest held by both cities in hosting the Games, but said 2024 was not an option.
He told SEN Radio Sunday, “a bid can’t go forward unless the Australian Olympic Committee agrees. I don’t think we would agree to 2024. I just don’t think that that’s realistic. We’d be wasting government’s money”.
Coates said Olympic bids cost about $75 million to run and billions more to stage, and any Australian state or territory with that kind of money should instead invest in preparing athletes for upcoming Olympics.
He added, “this is not a matter that is a priority for the Olympic committee. It is not a matter that, other than me reporting on my conversations with the Queensland Government and with Rod Eddington, is going any further that that with us”.
It appears according to Coates that Brisbane would be more likely to be the next Australian city to bid for a Games because historically when countries bid, a city that has not hosted the Games before is favoured. But if Brisbane did not proceed with a bid, Melbourne would be the most likely contender, Coates said.
He added the next time the country bids for an Olympic Games is likely to be in the latter half of the 2020s, 2030s or beyond.
Meanwhile the Daily reports Queensland is focused on securing a Commonwealth Games ahead of an Olympic Games, according to Treasurer Andrew Fraser. He told reporters Sunday, “I think many people regard the (1982) Commonwealth Games that were in Brisbane as a seminal moment in the development of the city. As a government we’ve said we’re interested in looking at a Commonwealth Games bid for the Gold Coast, that’s our focus for the moment,. He added that Brisbane would host a better Olympic Games than Melbourne – “without a doubt”.
