Brisbane likely to be named host of 2032 Olympics in July

Brisbane will likely be named the host of the 2032 Olympics next month, after the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) signaled that the Australian city can be awarded hosting rights.

The Associated Press reported that IOC President Thomas Bach, after an executive board meeting Thursday, said that Brisbane can receive the hosting rights at a July 21 meeting, which falls right before the start of the Tokyo Olympics.

This comes after the IOC named Brisbane its preferred candidate for the 2032 games in February, according to the AP, which put the city on a fast-track to securing the rights.

While Bach said that the final decision on who receives hosting rights for the event was “in the hands” of the IOC members, they usually approve the recommendations made by leadership, the AP noted.

About 100 members of the IOC are scheduled to meet in Tokyo two days before the event’s opening ceremony.

Bach lauded Australia as a country that loves sports and has strong support from layers of government in Brisbane, according to the AP.

“All this together I think made it somehow irresistible,” he said.

Looking ahead to the 2036 and 2040 games, Bach said a dialogue will continue with a “pool of interested parties” that missed out on the opportunity to host the 2032 event.

“The future of the Games looks bright,” he added, the AP reported.

The Tokyo Olympics are set to kick off on July 23, after the games were postponed last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.