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Find your frequency hereCroc-infested waters: Brisbane Olympics plans "embarrassing"
SENZ • March 24th, 2025 3:35 pm
Crocodile infested waters, turbulent behind-the-scenes decision-making and no clarity over sports and venues; the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games risk becoming a global laughingstock unless the Queensland Government can sign off its latest proposal.
This week will see the state government pitch - for the third time - plans for the event’s main stadium and other venues for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Up to fifty per cent of the venues initially proposed for the event will not feature in the final plans with a purpose built 60,000-seat stadium at Victoria Park the main focus of Tuesday's briefing, despite the initial promise of "no new builds".
It’s the latest blow in an Olympic journey plagued by turmoil with major concerns over the legitimacy of what the city will be able to put on in seven years’ time.
With alarm bells ringing all over the state, Robert Craddock described the situation as “embarrassing” and warned small cities like Brisbane can ill-afford to get anything wrong.
“You can hear the tension in people’s voices, sports are unsure,” Craddock said on SEN's Whateley.
“The turbulence is unbelievable. After three years (of planning) some decisions were made over the weekend. They should know long before what the main stadium is going to be.
"Traditionally they (IOC) announce the host city seven years before a Games, so Brisbane got a big jump. But last week the IOC gave a six-month extension for Brisbane to name its sports because it hadn’t finalised its venues, that was embarrassing.
“Brisbane has to do this well for one simple reason. If you’re Paris or London the Games don’t define you, but when you’re a small city it’s all you’ll ever be known for. When I think of Atlanta I think “ordinary games”. As a small city there is no escape.
“I’m nervous but reasonably optimistic.”
It is also being reported that a river in Rockhampton will play host to the Olympic and Paralympic rowing – despite being home to crocodiles.
According to the Courier Mail, the Fitzroy River is being earmarked for the events despite the likelihood it will fail to meet world rowing’s criteria.
It is understood the relocation is being made in a bid to avoid the competition being moved to NSW.
“Jaws 4,” Craddock said of the decision. “Could you call them the Jawesome foursome.
“The Fitzroy River in Rockhampton; a colleague just told me about a school team that trained there and a crocodile actually bumped the boat – imagine that in the single Sculls ‘the rower from Ethiopia has just been eaten’.”
