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The odds of South-East Queensland becoming host to an Olympic Games has been given a boost overnight, due to an overhaul of the Olympic Games bidding process.
Key points:
- The IOC president says the change comes in response to the growing view that staging the Games is too much of a drain on taxpayers
- AOC chief John Coates says the change is one of the greatest milestones in 123 years of modern Olympic history
- Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner says it strengthens South-East Queensland's furture hosting chances
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved key changes to electing future Olympic and Paralympic Games hosts at a session in Lausanne, Switzerland last night, allowing regions and countries to bid for the event.
In the past only individual cities have been able to apply.
The move is well timed for South-East Queensland's bid to host the 2032 Olympics.
The changes will also see the end of the requirement to determine a Games host seven years prior to the event.
IOC president Thomas Bach said the driving force that pushed the changes over the line was "the gap in public support".
Many taxpayers worldwide hold the view that holding the two-week sporting spectacle is too expensive a luxury.
In turn, changes were made to improve the attractiveness of hosting a games, by easing the bidding process and becoming less costly.
"Flexibility is a necessity to ensure good governance and to have sustainable Olympic Games in the future," Mr Bach said.
"We will do that while maintaining the magic of the Games."
'It's a massive boost'
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said he supported the new process, which not only strengthens South-East Queensland's chances of hosting a games, but increases the financial viability of bidding for many regions.
"The announcement by the AOC overnight is really positive, it's a massive boost, there's no doubt about it," he said.
"In the past the cost in bidding and hosting an Olympic Games were far higher.
"The IOC has obviously understood that they need to bring those costs down to make it more affordable for cities and regions to bid."
Previously, candidates applying to host the 2018 and 2022 Winter Games spent in excess of $40 million, compared with the $7-10 million spent by each candidate of the 2026 games.
According to the Australian Olympic Committee, such prices will continue to be reduced.
Two permanent future Host Commissions for both summer and winter games will also be set up to oversee interest of potential bidders, assess feasibility and make recommendations on applications.
Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates said the commissions would "not necessarily wait until interested hosts come to the IOC, but will be pro-active and open minded to innovative proposals".
Mr Coates said the IOC signing off on the changes was one of the most "significant milestones", in 123 years of the modern Olympics.
"The Olympic Charter has now been changed to allow candidatures from multiple cities, from regions and countries, focused around existing sports venues," he said.
"Instead of a single Olympic village, there can be Olympic villages to ensure that athletes are accommodated in close proximity to their competition venues.
"Priority must be given to the use of existing or temporary venues, the construction of new permanent venues for the purpose of the Games will only be considered if a sustainable legacy can be shown," Mr Coates said.
Queensland Major Events Minister Kate Jones said while the benefits of hosting an Olympic Games shouldn't be underestimated, it would need national support from the public and all levels of government.
"This is significant, however, when you're looking at the largest sporting event in the world, you absolutely need the support of the Federal Government as we know this would involve significant investment," she said.
"It would also have to deliver benefits and events to regional Queensland, places like Cairns, Townsville and Rockhampton.
"Queensland is different to other states where we have more people living outside of the capital city than any other state, so that's why any major event that we host has to benefit regional Queensland as well."
Earlier this year, the Council of Mayors (SEQ) said it would consider a multi-city bid for the 2032 games with events across Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Ipswich, Moreton Bay, Logan, Redland and Toowoomba.
Topics: sport, olympic-games-organising-committee, olympics-summer, australia, qld, brisbane-4000