Aussie state faces final scrutiny to host 2032 Olympics and Paralympic Games

SYDNEY - Australia's state of Queensland is close to being formally confirmed as the host of the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics next month after the International Olympics Committee (IOC) approved the decision.

Australia Olympics Committee (AOC) President John Coates said on Friday that Brisbane 2032 now faces final scrutiny from the IOC Members at the Session July 20-21 prior to the start of the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Brisbane was chosen as the preferred host in February and the board's proposal now goes to the IOC session, which will take place before the Tokyo Olympics next month. Around 100 IOC members will meet in Tokyo two days ahead of the Games' opening ceremony.

If Brisbane is elected, it would become the third Australian city after Melbourne in 1956 and Sydney in 2000 to host the Summer Olympics.

"Since entering the Targeted Dialogue phase in February this year, we have presented the IOC's Future Host Commission with detailed responses to their Questionnaire and held forums where we have addressed the issues they have raised in relation to the Brisbane proposition," Coates said.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the IOC decided to take Brisbane's bid to a vote in Tokyo next month. "We now need to put our case to the full membership of the IOC and convince them that this is a compelling opportunity."

Bach said Australia is a sport-loving country with strong support from layers of government in the city of Brisbane, the state of Queensland and the federal level.

"All this together, I think made it somehow irresistible," Bach said.

Coates noted the independent economic assessment, commissioned by the Queensland Government, has indicated that the Games will deliver a total benefit of 8.1 billion Australian dollars (about $6.28 billion) for Queensland and 17.61 billion Australian dollars (about $13.65 billion) for Australia.