The surprising Olympic venue where there is a plague of crocodiles

BarcelonaThere is a long way to go until the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane. The third Games in history on Australian territory, after Melbourne 1956 and Sydney 2000, are making progress and, for the moment, facing a lot of problems. This very week the mascots and official logos were revealed, but, due to human error, they were leaked a few days before the ceremony in which they were to be officially presented.

One of the main headaches, however, is the venue for the rowing and canoeing competition, on the Fitzroy River, in the city of Rockhampton, about 600 km from Brisbane. The organizers have prepared a report over several months that has already been submitted to the members of the International Olympic Committee defending this venue, although within the rowing world it has not been very well received to learn that they have a serious crocodile problem on the Fitzroy River. In recent years, the saltwater crocodile population has spiraled out of control, a species in which a single specimen can reach up to five meters. The authorities have recalled that in the last 40 years not a single attack on humans has been recorded, but many foreign athletes do not see it clearly.

But crocodiles are not the main problem. One of the officials from the British Rowing Federation, Tom Solesbury, explained to the BBC that what is least liked about this venue would be its natural currents, very different from the rivers where they usually hold Rowing World Championships. Moritz Petri, from the German federation, has also raised his voice. "It is a river with many bends, which conditions the currents. The conditions will not be optimal. We cannot understand it. Furthermore, what is the point of taking rowing more than 600 km from the venue of the Games?" Many specialists have complained about the distance, because they believe that this way they will not be able to experience the atmosphere of the Games, as they will be isolated from the Olympic Village.

A gamble that generates discord

Even some of the best rowing specialists in Australia, the host country, do not quite see this bet as clear, especially because they see it as complicated to be able to break national or world records. Drew Ginn, a triple Olympic medalist, has admitted: "I am not afraid of Australian animals, but I have never had a crocodile nearby. I am sure that I would row faster somewhere else and that all athletes would row faster.".

Behind the decision to bet on this venue hides a struggle of interests. Officially, the organizers have stated that they have sought a natural space so as not to have to build a canal or make large investments. Regional championships are sometimes held on the Fitzroy River, but it is not a venue for the absolute Australian championships. According to the local press, some elites and politicians have lobbied to get this river to be a sub-venue, as it would offer economic benefits to the Rockhampton region. In fact, one of the companies that have invested in facilities and hotels in the river area belongs to Gina Rinehart, the richest woman in Australia. With a fortune that has its origin in the mining sector, Rinehart invests heavily in sports and has already explained to the press: "These crocodiles do not bite and the river is ideal, stop looking for excuses".

And what would happen if crocodiles appear?

Be that as it may, the competent authorities have given the green light to the venue. "Based on the extensive analysis conducted, we now know that the Fitzroy River is capable of providing fair competition conditions during the Games," stated the president ofWorld Rowing, Jean-Christophe Rolland. Faced with questions about what would happen if floods occur that affect the course, a fact that has happened at times near Rockhampton, the organizers pointed out that the rowing canal built in 2000 for the Sydney Games always remains as an alternative. An option that does not please Brisbane at all, as it would mean sending events outside the state of Queensland. Sydney is in the state of New South Wales, which maintains a certain rivalry with its neighbors to the north in Queensland.

And what would happen if crocodiles appear? At the regional tests that are usually held, from time to time it happens that a crocodile appears. The protocol is to order the rowers to return to the port until the animal leaves. Animals that have lived here for centuries, without being aware that now they will have to be Olympic, in a way.