2032 Olympics
- Reports Brisbane could cancel the 2032 Olympic Games were “mere speculation,” according to the International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach. Mr Bach told the media it was made very clear that there had been no mention of cancelling the Games in any conversations that they had with the Queensland government.
- Queensland Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has joined Premier Steven Miles in rejecting a $450k review that recommended building a new stadium for the Brisbane Olympics at Victoria Park. Mr Crisafulli promised to establish an independent delivery authority should he win the October election – but with a terms of references which would restrict the authority’s recommendations to ensure no new stadiums.
- John Coates and Graham Quirk have been requested to appear before a Senate Inquiry into Brisbane’s Olympics “circus”, as IOC supremos break their silence over the 2032 plans. The Inquiry into Australia’s Preparedness to host the Commonwealth, Olympic and Paralympic Games will hold a hearing in Brisbane on April 17 following the release of the Quirk Report.
- No new stadium to be built for 2032 Olympics as Queensland opposition leader reveals plan. David Crisafulli’s stance means the multi-billion dollar Victoria Park plan recommended by Graham Quirk on Monday is dead
A-league
AFL
- St Kilda’s commitment to transforming Spud’s Game into a true blockbuster played on the biggest stage has incurred a $100,000 break fee for removing a home game from its Marvel Stadium contract. The AFL owns Marvel Stadium and, while the league was able to facilitate the request, waiving the $100,000 fee would’ve set a dangerous precedent.
- The Brisbane Lions will no longer be left homeless for as many as five AFL seasons – but the Queensland government’s disastrous backflip on building a new $3.4 billion stadium will leave them trapped at the dilapidated Gabba for the foreseeable future.
- Tasmania is on top of the footy world, with fans signing up to the fledgling Devils club in droves and founding memberships topping a staggering 125,000 on Wednesday. The numbers put Tasmania on top of the AFL membership ladder, with powerhouse Collingwood leading the league in 2023 with 106,000 members.
- Both major party leaders have their Tasmania Devils membership, however don’t see eye-to-eye on building a new stadium at Hobart’s Macquarie Point.
- It’s nicknamed the sporting capital of the world but the AFL might have missed a trick with the scheduling of games this weekend around the Australian F1 Grand Prix.
Australian F1 GP
Cricket
- Australian star Megan Schutt says minimum broadcast standards should be applied to all international women’s cricket games as the Aussies prepare to face Bangladesh without live TV coverage this month. Fox Cricket and free-to-air networks were unable to secure the broadcast rights to Australia’s three ODI and three T20I matches in the first bilateral series between the two nations.
- Afghanistan’s cricket board has accused Cricket Australia of “succumbing to political influences” in withdrawing from a third series in as many years.
NRL
- The NRL will get as close as it’s ever been in 116-years to selling out every game in a single round. Already six games are shaping as possible sellouts, the most ever in any one round, and some clubs still have four days to promote matches before kick-off.
- According to 2024 NRL data, 113 of the 584 players in the Telstra Premiership, or 19.4%, are eligible to represent Samoa through birth or heritage, with either their parents or grandparents being born there.
Rugby Union
- Townsville and District Rugby Union has lost its second A Grade team in 12 months after 11th hour meetings to save the Western Suburbs Dragons were unsuccessful. The withdrawal follows the loss of the Charters Towers Bulls from the 2023 competition, leaving just four teams to contest the A Grade trophy: Teachers West, Brothers, North Ward and Burdekin.
Socceroos
- Socceroos coach Graham Arnold has taken another swing at government decision makers for neglecting football in Australia after his side spent the lead-in to Thursday night’s World Cup qualifier against Lebanon training on a field with rugby league posts.
- Socceroos coach Graham Arnold has escalated his grievances around a lack of support for football from the government, describing his team as “homeless” ahead of the first of back-to-back World Cup qualifiers against Lebanon on Thursday.
WNBL
- All eight WNBL clubs have united in rejecting a Basketball Australia proposal that would have given each a stake in the league. But BA has softened on its hard line stance on maintaining a majority ownership share in the WNBL and wants a deal with a new investor in place by early July.
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- A bid to move the Melbourne Boomers’ WNBL licence to Geelong just needs Basketball Australia’s approval to go ahead. The Geelong United Basketball Association is anxiously awaiting BA’s decision on the proposed relocation, amid hopes the team will be ready to take the court as soon as next season
New Zealand
- The Kiwi National Basketball League’s reputation as an innovator and groundbreaker with an ability to play above its size has been enhanced by its latest commercial deal with global social media giant TikTok.
- Auckland councillor John Watson has come up with a novel idea to help save North Harbour Stadium: configure it so it can also be used for test cricket.
International
- Veteran Australian punter Cameron Johnston has hit the NFL jackpot, signing a massive $13m deal with powerhouse outfit the Pittsburgh Steelers.
- Saudi Arabia is likely to host the 2034 tournament, but a Guardian investigation has revealed there are already a high number of ‘unexplained’ migrant worker deaths in the Gulf kingdom
