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24 Mar, 2025
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Fears possible Olympic site in croc country won't meet competition standards
@Source: abc.net.au
Rowing Australia fears Rockhampton's Fitzroy River in crocodile country could fail to meet international standards following reports the site will be used for the 2032 Olympics. The peak body wants an urgent technical assessment of any rowing site chosen for the Brisbane Games, as the Queensland government prepares to unveil its final venues plan tomorrow. Rowing Australia chief executive Sarah Cook said the organisation held concerns the Fitzroy River would not meet the technical specifications of World Rowing. "A key criteria in relation to that is that on a standard international course, there should be no stream," she said. "The issue for us at this point is that we know that World Rowing and the [International Olympic Committee] have not yet been consulted in relation to that venue. Worries over river flow Ms Cook said Rowing Australia was "venue agnostic" and had not taken a position on a preferred venue. The organisation had only requested a 2,000 metre, eight to ten lane venue located in Queensland for the Games. "The reason that we don't want stream or flow or current is because that creates unfair conditions across the course," Ms Cook said. "In the middle of a river, particularly one with a stream or a flow in it, the middle deeper section runs faster than the outside, so that creates then unfairness across the course." Ms Cook said crocodiles in the Fitzroy River could be "quite shocking" for international visitors, but she also noted Rockhampton had a vibrant rowing community. The site has been used as a staging camp for major events for the Australian rowing team, including before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She said the state government had not told them of their final plans for rowing for the Games. "We have of course seen the stories and some of the headlines indicating that the Queensland government will be recommending Rockhampton," she said. "We would love to see any venue recommended from this review process thoroughly tested and to ensure that World Rowing and the IOC are engaged so that those technical assessments can occur." Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie would not be drawn on speculation about the Fitzroy River hosting the rowing. "I think what we are going to deliver tomorrow is a 2032 delivery plan that will be the envy of any Olympics held or in the future," he said. "It's going to be a delivery plan that sets Queensland up with generational road and rail infrastructure." Cabinet is expected to sit this afternoon to sign off the final venues plan for the Games.
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