This Olympic river has 500 crocodiles in it - but that's not the main concern
Summary
The Fitzroy River in Queensland, Australia, has been approved as the venue for rowing and canoe sprint events at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. Despite having around 500 saltwater crocodiles, safety was not the main concern; the biggest issue was ensuring fair competition because of the river’s natural bends and currents.Key Facts
- The Fitzroy River runs through Rockhampton, Queensland, and is home to about 500 saltwater crocodiles.
- No crocodile attacks on humans have been recorded in the river in over 40 years.
- The river was recently passed in a technical assessment confirming it is safe and fair for Olympic rowing events.
- Concerns were raised about fairness due to the river’s natural bends, currents, and possible flooding.
- Some athletes and officials questioned the location because it is 600 km away from Brisbane, the main Olympic city.
- Queensland’s premier criticized critics as being unwilling to hold the events in regional areas.
- World Rowing and the International Olympic Committee gave the final approval after reviewing engineering and weather data.
- The sport’s governing bodies expressed confidence that fair competition is possible on the Fitzroy River during the Games.
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