[2032 Brisbane]The Day the Bid Race Disappeared

On July 21, 2021, after a one-year postponement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tokyo Olympics were just around the corner.

On this day, at the 138th IOC Session held at The Okura Tokyo, Brisbane, Australia, was selected as the host city for the 2032 Summer Olympics.

This was not merely a decision; it marked the end of the fierce bidding wars between candidate cities and the beginning of a new era where the IOC takes the lead in selecting host cities.

The Moment the Host City Was Announced

President Thomas Bach announces Brisbane’s selection on stage. (Video at 8:31:13)

“The International Olympic Committee has the honour to announce the games of 35th olympiad are awarded to Brisbane, Australia!”

Previous IOC sessions featured a vibrant atmosphere with bid delegations from all candidate cities gathered together. But during the pandemic, Brisbane’s delegation numbered just six. Strict social distancing measures left the venue feeling empty.

While the venue’s atmosphere had changed dramatically, Brisbane citizens gathered in parks wearing masks, celebrating with fireworks.

The “New Norm” That Transformed the Selection Process

The Brisbane Games marked the first full implementation of the IOC’s new selection process, the “New Norm.”

The New Norm rests on two pillars:

• Selection Without Losers
  The old process, where candidate cities spent enormous sums on campaigns only to see some cities eliminated by vote, has been abolished.
• Consolidation Through Dialogue
  The newly established “Future Host Commission” conducts extensive behind-the-scenes dialogue with candidate cities. The Executive Board then endorses Brisbane as the sole “preferred candidate city.” At the General Assembly, a confidence vote is held to approve or reject the preferred candidate city.

Backlash Against a Fixed Outcome — From the “Defeated” Nations

Other countries, particularly Germany, Qatar, and Hungary—all of which had bid for the same 2032 Games—voiced opposition, criticizing the process where the Future Host Committee effectively makes the selection as lacking transparency.

Germany with the Rhine-Ruhr region, Qatar with Doha, and Hungary with Budapest all campaigned, but found themselves in a situation where “the race was already decided before we knew it.”

Given these candidates didn’t even get a chance for a public presentation, it’s only natural they criticized the IOC’s “backroom politics.”

The Shadow Mastermind: Vice President John Coates

John Coates, the Australian IOC Vice President at the time, wielded his strong influence to secure Brisbane’s victory while simultaneously becoming the target of criticism.

Vice President Coates was the central figure who conceived the New Norm and pushed for its implementation. He maximized the use of this new system for his home country’s bid.

However, Vice President Coates stirred controversy just before the IOC Session.

Reports emerged that he had taken an attitude that amounted to openly ordering Queensland Premier Parache, a member of the Brisbane bid team, to attend the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony. His heavy-handed behavior drew criticism.

Voting Results

Under the New Norm, the IOC Session held a vote asking, “Are you for or against Brisbane hosting?”