Olympic champion Sally Pearson has cautioned that Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre, or the QSAC in Mt Gravatt, the chosen athletics stadium for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games, could embarrass Australia internationally due to its small size and lacklustre facilities. The warning comes as the Paris 2024 Olympics concluded, setting a high bar for future host cities.
Pearson highlighted that QSAC’s 40,000-seat capacity pales in comparison to recent Olympic venues.
The Stade de France, which hosted the Paris 2024 athletics events, boasts an impressive 80,000 seats. Looking ahead to the Los Angeles 2028 Games, the Memorial Coliseum will accommodate 77,500 spectators.
In stark contrast, QSAC offers only 40,000 seats, with a mere 14,000 being permanent. This significant disparity has raised concerns about Brisbane’s ability to create the electric atmosphere that Olympic athletes and spectators have come to expect.
The gold medallist hurdler, expressed deep concern about the stadium’s capacity to generate the same level of excitement and energy seen in previous Games. Pearson, drawing from her personal experiences at the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympics, emphasised the crucial role that a packed, enthusiastic crowd plays in an athlete’s performance.
“I attended two Olympics. Beijing in 2008 in the outstanding Birds Nest arena where I won a famous silver medal and London in 2012 where I won gold,” Pearson wrote.
“Both of these stadiums had the capacity to seat 80,000 people. Now I’m not sure of the exact number of people that were in attendance on those nights but I can tell you the empty seats were hard to spot from the track.
“The sound from the crowd was electric, it was deafening and it was exciting, it gave you the lift that you needed to perform at your best.”
Photo Credit: BCC
Defending the QSAC Choice
Despite mounting criticism, Premier Steven Miles continues to defend QSAC as Queensland’s best option for the 2032 Games. Miles argues that the venue offers the most suitable legacy for athletics, pointing out that IOC Vice President John Coates explicitly recommended it. He maintains that QSAC is the only choice that provides permanent track and field facilities, ensuring a lasting impact on the sport beyond the Olympic event.
Miles has dismissed alternative proposals, including a $3.4 billion plan for a new inner-city stadium at Victoria Park. He contends that these alternatives would only deliver a new cricket oval without offering any tangible benefits for athletics.
The Premier’s stance reflects a broader shift in the Queensland government’s approach, prioritising cost of living relief measures over investing billions in new Olympic venues.
The debate surrounding QSAC has sparked a growing chorus of concern from Australia’s sporting elite.
Growing Concerns from Sports Community
Olympic swimmer Cate Campbell has joined Pearson in voicing her worries about Brisbane’s preparedness for the 2032 Games.
Campbell stressed the need for Brisbane to “step up its game,” urging the government to think bigger and more proactively about the city’s future. Both athletes emphasised the importance of showcasing Brisbane’s unique qualities to the world, arguing that the Olympics present a once-in-a-generation opportunity to define the city’s identity on a global stage.
Campbell’s comments, made during a radio interview, highlighted the potential long-term benefits of investing in world-class facilities. She argued that while the cost of living is a pressing issue, the legacy of the Olympic Games extends far beyond the event itself, potentially shaping the city’s growth and development for decades.
The controversy surrounding QSAC has ignited a broader debate about balancing fiscal responsibility and the ambition to host a truly memorable Olympic Games. With eight years remaining, stakeholders from across the sporting and political spectrum are calling for a renewed focus on creating an Olympic experience that will not only avoid embarrassment but also leave a lasting, positive legacy for Brisbane and Australia.
Published 13-Aug-2024
