'Perfect storm' for corruption: IOC petition targets Brisbane's 2032 Olympic stadium plan

A last-ditch effort to halt the construction of a new Olympic stadium in Brisbane's Victoria Park has reached the International Olympic Committee (IOC) headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. A petition bearing 10,000 signatures, along with documents questioning the approval process for Brisbane's Olympic projects, was submitted to senior IOC officials.

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The Queensland government is not listening to the community's objections, so I thought I'd take it a level higher.

Peter Valepyn, who traveled from Brisbane, presented the petition, stating, "The Queensland government is not listening to the community's objections, so I thought I'd take it a level higher." He met with officials from the IOC's sustainability department, arguing that the Victoria Park proposal violates commitments made during Brisbane's bid, particularly those related to the IOC's "New Norm" reforms.

Introduced in 2018, the "New Norm" reforms encourage host cities to maximize the use of existing venues and minimize environmental impact. However, Valepyn and a coalition of concerned community groups argue that building a new 63,000-seat stadium on the heritage-listed Victoria Park runs counter to these principles.

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I decided to go straight to the IOC, because they have the power to stop the madness.

Valepyn cited clauses in the Olympic Host Contract for Brisbane 2032 that he believes the government has breached, stating, "It's black and white: no new stadiums, no cultural areas to be touched, and the Queensland government is doing just that." Despite presenting his case, Valepyn left the meeting feeling "exhausted," believing the IOC had deflected responsibility, though he was assured the concerns would be forwarded to IOC president Thomas Bach.

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It's black and white: no new stadiums, no cultural areas to be touched, and the Queensland government is doing just that.