The Olympic Games have always lived with a difficult tension to resolve: preserving a history built over more than a century while remaining connected to new generations. Looking ahead to Brisbane 2032, that debate has once again gained momentum after Kieren Perkins, a former Olympic champion and Australia’s top sports executive, warned that the future of the Olympic Movement could be at risk if its programme is unable to modernise.
Perkins has called on the International Olympic Committee to take a close look at which sports and disciplines should have a place in the Games of the future. Without naming specific sports, he argued that some traditional events, despite their history and the affection they inspire, have lost relevance in the modern context, while others have grown in popularity and could deserve a more prominent position. The discussion comes at a particularly sensitive moment, as Brisbane prepares its programme and sports such as cricket and netball seek to seize the opportunity to compete in front of a home audience.
The difficult balance between tradition and modern relevance
Perkins’ warning goes directly to one of the major questions facing the Olympic Movement: how much weight tradition should carry when deciding what stays and what changes. Sports such as the modern pentathlon and equestrianism have long Olympic histories and deeply committed communities, but their reach and popularity differ significantly from core disciplines such as athletics and swimming. The challenge is not simply about measuring audiences, but also about determining which sports can connect with new generations without losing the identity that has made the Games one of the world’s biggest sporting events.
Changes are already taking place within the programme. Modern pentathlon has removed equestrianism and replaced it with obstacle racing for Los Angeles 2028, while breaking, one of the most debated additions at Paris 2024, will not continue at the next edition. At the same time, the International Olympic Committee has begun working with a methodology focused on individual disciplines rather than solely on entire sports, assessing factors such as global appeal, costs, operational complexity and athlete representation. For Perkins, the ability to embrace this process of transformation will be decisive for the future of the Olympic programme.
Cricket, netball and the battle for a place in Brisbane
The approach of Brisbane 2032 has also opened up a competition between sports that see the Australian Games as a historic opportunity. Cricket will return to the Olympic programme at Los Angeles 2028, and Cricket Australia is already working alongside the International Cricket Council to promote its continued inclusion in Brisbane. The possibility of an Olympic final being played at the Gabba has even become part of the conversation, reflecting the cultural importance of the sport in Australia and the desire to make the most of Games being held in a country with such a large and passionate fan base.
Netball is also seeking to make its way into the programme, supported by its strong presence in Australia, particularly among women. An independent survey commissioned by Netball Australia found that two-thirds of Australians want to see the sport at Brisbane 2032. Meanwhile, disciplines such as lacrosse are working to demonstrate the value they can bring to the Olympic Movement following their planned return at Los Angeles 2028, while traditional sports such as rowing defend their ability to evolve without breaking from their legacy. The Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee will have to navigate these competing pressures, with strong interest from different federations and the possibility of proposing up to four additional disciplines as the IOC prepares the programme that will shape the Australian Games.
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