The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has taken another step in defining the sports programme for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games by informing the recognised International Federations (IFs) about the process through which different disciplines may be considered as candidates for inclusion in the Australian event. The update comes as planning for Brisbane 2032 advances and seeks to establish a more flexible mechanism for evaluating proposals, while maintaining an analytical foundation built on the processes used for Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028.
The new framework was presented by the Olympic Programme Working Group (OPWG) during a webinar with IFs recognised by the IOC and forms part of the new Olympic programme evaluation methodology approved at the 146th IOC Session, held in June 2026. The strategy aims to allow the composition of the Games to respond more flexibly to the characteristics of each edition, as Brisbane 2032 continues to define its sports and disciplines. In this context, federations responsible for disciplines already included in the Host Contract may propose an additional discipline, while other recognised federations may also be eligible for consideration under certain conditions.
Which disciplines can be considered for Brisbane 2032?
One of the central elements of the process is the distinction between disciplines already included in the agreed structure for Brisbane 2032 and those that could be added based on recent Olympic precedents. The International Federations responsible for disciplines included in the Games’ Host Contract will have the opportunity to propose an additional discipline for evaluation. In this way, the process does not begin from a closed list, but instead provides room for sports organisations to put forward alternatives within the framework established by the IOC.
The second group consists of other International Federations recognised by the IOC, which may be considered when the discipline they represent was included in the Olympic programmes of Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024 or Los Angeles 2028 through a proposal from the respective Organising Committee. This criterion makes it possible to draw on information and assessments developed at recent editions of the Games, meaning Brisbane 2032 does not have to start the evaluation of certain disciplines from scratch. The experience accumulated through these three processes will, precisely, form part of the foundation that the OPWG will use to advance the programme evaluation.
The evaluation process and the role of Brisbane 2032
The decision to use this mechanism responds, according to the approach presented by the OPWG, to the amount of information available following the processes that led to the inclusion of additional sports at Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028. On those occasions, the IOC conducted specific analyses and reviews before accepting proposals from the respective Organising Committees, creating a knowledge base that can now be used for Brisbane. The organisation considers that these precedents allow for a more informed evaluation and for the process to be adapted to the particular circumstances of the Australian Games.
Brisbane 2032 will also play an active role at this stage. The Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games will be able to propose additional disciplines to the IOC for possible inclusion in the sports programme and maintains an ongoing dialogue with recognised International Federations. The IOC has stated that this approach is specific to Brisbane 2032 due to the existing timeline and will be reassessed by the Olympic Programme Working Group for future editions. The Olympic Games are scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 8, 2032, while the Paralympic Games will be held from August 24 to September 5.
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