IOC President Thomas Bach backs Brisbane 2032 Venue Plan

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach has given a strong endorsement to Brisbane’s revised venue strategy for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, describing it as a “high-quality” plan that will leave a lasting legacy for the city and its communities.

Wrapping up a visit to Brisbane this week, Bach praised the new venue blueprint delivered by the Queensland Government following its 100-day review of preparations for the Games. The plan centres on a major sporting precinct in Brisbane’s inner north, with a new 60,000-seat stadium and aquatic centre to be built at Victoria Park - adjacent to a new athlete village at the Brisbane Showgrounds.

Bach, who will conclude his tenure as IOC President in June, said the reworked approach showed “great speed and high quality” and aligned closely with the IOC’s Olympic Agenda and ‘New Norm’ reforms, aimed at reducing costs and maximising long-term benefits for host cities.

Hailing Brisbane’s approach as an “investment in the future”, Bach stated “you speak about investments in the future of the city and the region.

“If you have a stadium, which you need, if you have an aquatic centre, which you need and everybody appreciates, you cannot write this investment off to zero in 16 days.”

Bach emphasised that Games infrastructure should be viewed as part of a broader urban development strategy, rather than a short-term expenditure. He highlighted the planned Olympic Village at the Brisbane Showgrounds as a response to the city’s growing housing needs, calling it “desperately needed.”

The IOC President also stressed the importance of tailoring each Olympic edition to its host’s unique character and needs. With Brisbane set to follow the Paris (2024) and Los Angeles (2028), he said Queensland’s capital must showcase its own identity.

Bach advised “every edition of the Games needs to be authentic.

“Brisbane should be different - reflecting its people, its values and its vision for the future.”

Despite years of political and public debate surrounding the location and cost of the main stadium, Bach said the IOC had always anticipated a period of uncertainty and refinement. He noted that had planning only commenced this year, “it would have been game over for 2032.”

While the revised plan continues to await final sign-off from relevant sporting federations, it signals a departure from the previous Queensland Government’s redevelopment proposals for the Gabba and Queensland Sport and Athletic Centre. The move back to a centralised precinct model has been seen by many in the industry as a more sustainable and community-aligned solution.

Image: Thomas Bach. Credit: IOC/Christophe Moratal.