Australia17 September, 20263 min read
IOC Signs Off Fitzroy River Rowing And Canoe Sprint Events For Brisbane 2032 Olympics
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IOC approved Rockhampton's Fitzroy River to host rowing and canoe sprint for Brisbane 2032. Independent technical assessment deemed the course suitable; government to proceed with planning and construction.
IOC approves Fitzroy venue
The International Olympic Committee has signed off on rowing and canoe sprint events to be hosted in Rockhampton for the 2032 Games, with the Fitzroy River approved despite concerns about its crocodile inhabitants.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli told parliament that "The IOC assessment for the site is complete," adding "The Fitzroy has passed with flying colours. It's official. Signed, sealed and delivered."
The Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA) and marine engineering experts WaterProof Marine Consultancy and Services B.V. (WaterProof) completed an independent technical assessment of the Fitzroy River that included on-water investigations and modelling of weather patterns, water levels and flood risk.
World Rowing president Jean-Christophe Rolland endorsed the course after reviewing the analysis, saying, "we now know that the Fitzroy River is capable of providing fair competition conditions during the period of the Games."
The state government said it would now move forward with detailed planning, design and construction of the Rockhampton site for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Croc fears and endorsements
The decision came after local criticism of the Fitzroy River’s crocodile population, with nine.com.au reporting that almost 6000 people signed a petition for the venue to be changed due to concerns about athlete safety. A crocodile farmer, John Lever, told nine.com.au in March last year that Olympic organisers would be able to manage the crocodiles because the water temperature would be too low and "make them lethargic." The BBC said the assessment did not consider the crocodiles, focusing instead on "how the course would perform under a range of conditions, weather patterns, water levels and flood risk" at Games time and in the lead-up period.
Brisbane 2032 President Andrew Liveris played down the issue, saying, "There are sharks in the ocean and we’re still surfing" and describing it as "a can do, not a can’t do" when asked about crocodiles last year. World Rowing and Paddle Worldwide endorsed the course after reviewing the expert data, and Paddle Worldwide president Thomas Konietzko said the technical work provided confidence that the course can deliver fair competition for canoe sprint athletes.
Next phase for planning
Queensland’s government said the IOC endorsement would be followed by detailed planning, design and construction for the competition, with the venue set to host Brisbane Games rowing, para rowing, canoe sprint and para canoe events. Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie told parliament there would be "no widening, no dredging needed" after analysis showed the river could cater for a full width Olympic course with eight lanes plus room for start and finish areas. The Guardian reported that an open letter signed by 542 rowers, including gold medallist Drew Ginn, asked for the rowing venue to be built in southeast Queensland, while an alternative at Moreton Bay had been promoted as a world standard course at roughly half the cost.
Rockhampton mayor Tony Williams said the IOC nod was "It’s something that we’ve always known, that Rockhampton and the Fitzroy River would be the perfect venue for rowing in 2032," and said the next step was to secure infrastructure and opportunities for the community long after the Games. The BBC said the GIICA noted the Fitzroy River Flatwater Facility "is already a training and competition venue for flatwater sports," and that contingency plans are in place at events when crocodiles are spotted.