Next IOC President Kirsty Coventry Hands Over the Baton in Planning for Brisbane 2032 Olympics

Kirsty Coventry completed a ceremonial baton change before she takes over as International Olympic Committee president next month, handing off oversight of preparations for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Summer Games during a three-day inspection visit.

Mikaela Cojuangco Jaworski replaced Coventry as head of the IOC’s coordination commission for the 2032 Summer Games after the Olympic swimming champion from Zimbabwe was elected to take over from Thomas Bach in the sporting organization’s top job.

“I’m here to formally hand over the baton, or the Olympic flame … boomerang!” Coventry said as she introduced Jaworski at a news conference Thursday at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium. “I hope that I’m leaving some good vibes.”

Coventry made her Olympic debut at the 2000 Games in Sydney and has family living in Australia.

“I’m very excited about what Brisbane 2032 is going to do,” she said. “Not just for the region, but for Australia and for the world.”

It took more than 1,000 days and at least three major concept changes before a newly elected Queensland state government settled on a comprehensive venue plan in March. That includes a new 60,000-seat stadium and an aquatics center to be built in parklands close to Brisbane, as well as proposals to share events with regions outside the capital. The call to host rowing in a crocodile-inhabited river in Rockhampton has attracted concern and criticism from the public and sports administrators.

IOC Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi said there is no need to panic with seven years until the Games.

“The plan always changes and generally they change for the better,” he said. “The question is not so much whether the plan has changed — it has — but is it a better plan? The answer is yes.”

Andrew Liveris, president of the local organizing committee, said venue construction is likely to begin later next year.

“From an operational standpoint, it’s absolutely doable,” Dubi said. “You have also this opportunity to have this venue and this number of spectators, hence creating that precinct atmosphere downtown, and that will be something incredibly special.”

In March, the IOC Executive Board confirmed that the initial program will be determined at an IOC Session in 2026. The Organizing Committee will also have the opportunity to propose additional events from new sports, with a submission expected next year. Kit McConnell will be leaving his role as sports director at the IOC to become the chief sport officer for the 2032 organizers.