By Jack Tarrant
TOKYO (Reuters) – Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison met with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach in Tokyo on Tuesday to discuss next year’s postponed Olympics in the Japanese capital and Brisbane’s bid to host the 2032 Games.
Morrison and Bach are both in Tokyo this week and used the opportunity to meet, alongside IOC member and Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) President John Coates.
In a video posted on the AOC Twitter page, Coates said Morrison had expressed his “full support” for Brisbane’s 2032 bid during the meeting.
“Prime Minister Morrison and President Thomas Bach had a very good meeting this morning,” said Coates, who is also chair of the IOC’s Tokyo 2020 Coordination Commission.
“The Prime Minister reiterated the full support of the Australian Government for Queensland and Brisbane’s candidature for the 2032 Olympics Games. The full support.”
Bach has previously praised the early planning within Australia’s 2032 bid, which would be centred on Queensland state’s capital city, Brisbane.
Bach and Morrison also discussed holding sporting events during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
During meetings with Tokyo Games’ organisers on Monday, Bach expressed confidence that the Olympics can be held safely next year [M1L1N2I201B].
Australia, alongside Canada, pulled out of coming to the Tokyo Games before the postponement decision was made in March, because of safety fears related to COVID-19.
(Reporting by Jack Tarrant; Editing by Stephen Coates)
