The International Olympic Council (IOC) approved Brisbane as the host for the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics at the 138th IOC Session on Wednesday (21 July) in Tokyo, Japan.

The decision comes months after the IOC invited Brisbane and the Australian Olympic Commission (AOC) to a targeted dialogue over potentially hosting the Olympiad. The invitation was sent based on the recommendation of the Future Host Commission, which has been set up to advise the Executive committee on future Olympic Games.

Under the new reforms, the bidding process seeks to find a winning host more efficiently and avoid turning other campaigns into a vote-buying scandal. Brisbane won the vote share with 72-5.

Initially, the bids for hosting the 2032 Olympic Games were expected to come from Qatar, Hungary and Germany besides Australia. However, only Australia made a move as the state of Queensland formally announced a bid for the 2032 Olympic Games in December 2019. The likes of China, India, Indonesia and Russia were also tipped to place a possible bid for 2032.

Australia will now host the Olympic Games for the third time in history, after Melbourne 1956 and Sydney 2000. The proposed dates for the Olympic Games are July 23 – August 8, 2032, while the dates to host the Paralympic Games have been identified as August 24 - September 5, 2032. Events are proposed to be held across 37 venues.

"Brisbane 2032 is the first future host to have been elected under, and to have fully benefited from, the new flexible approach to electing Olympic hosts. The reforms enable the IOC to work in partnership with cities, regions, and countries, to encourage Olympic projects which use a high percentage of existing and temporary venues, which align with long-term development plans, and which have a strong vision for sports and local communities," IOC President Thomas Bach said.

“Today’s vote is a vote of trust that Brisbane and Queensland will stage magnificent Olympic and Paralympic Games 2032. The Brisbane 2032 vision and games plan fit into long-term regional and national strategies for social and economic development,” Bach added.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who presented to the IOC meeting virtually, said “We know it’s a huge opportunity for our nation, just like the Melbourne Games in 1956 and the Sydney Olympics in 2000.”

"It's a historic day not just for Brisbane and Queensland, but for the entire country," said Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

John Coates, vice president of the IOC and one of the major players in Australia's bid to win the hosting rights, thanked the IOC for its confidence in Brisbane, the first host selected under the new criteria.

“This is a very proud day for Australia, make no mistake,” Coates said. “The Olympic Games in Brisbane will be in the most diligent, grateful and enthusiastic hands. And I make this commitment to the athletes of the world — we will provide you with an unforgettable experience," he added.

Brisbane 2032 will be preceded by Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028, with the cities confirmed as sole hosts in the 131st IOC Session on September 13, 2017.

Featured photo: AFP / RAPHAEL ALVES