Brisbane 2032 launches a cockatoo emblem for Olympics and Paralympics after an accidental leak

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — The cockatoo has won out over the kangaroo, the koala and the bin chicken to become the emblem of the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics — after a bit of an embarrassing social media leak.

It’s now official.

Days after officials in Brisbane were forced to hold a hastily-convened news conference to explain the accidental leaking of the emblem ahead of schedule, the 2032 organizing committee held an official launch on Monday.

The Olympic emblem is the crest of a pink cockatoo, an Australian bird, with the color stylized to resemble an Olympic and Paralympic flame, and a shape to resemble the host state of Queensland.

Brisbane’s Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner on Monday said the emblems “are a celebration of our city, our lifestyle.”

“They reflect the Brisbane (that) people know and love: vibrant, resilient, connected, friendly, playful and a little bit cheeky,” Schrinner said. “They are also a symbol of the excitement building across our city.

“With just under six years to go, we are already preparing to welcome the world to Australia’s lifestyle capital.”

Organizers said First Nations elements were contained within the emblems, with “cockatoos seen as messengers carrying cultural meaning and linking people to place, story and ceremony.” The emblems are separate to the Games mascot, which will be revealed closer to the Games.

An explainer video meant to go live after a planned ceremonial event briefly appeared on the event’s YouTube channel on Friday night. Screenshots of images and text soon circulated on social media.

Brisbane 2032 vice president Tim Mander and chief marketing officer Brent Hill told the weekend news conference the accidental release was a pleasant surprise. Hill embraced the unexpected opportunity, saying “the publicity has been incredible.”

Ahead of the community launch Monday evening in the downtown Southbank parklands, Brisbane 2032 chairman Andrew Liveris said the “emblems are an opportunity to promote the unique character of a Games, inviting the world to learn more, visit, invest and be part of an event unlike any other.”

Lachlan Kennedy, the Brisbane sprinter who set an Australian record for the 100 meters when he ran 9.85 seconds at the Commonwealth Games at Glasgow in July, attended the emblem lauch and told local TV broadcasters: “I love it. I think it represents Brisbane well.”

“It’s unique,” he said, “I think it’s got soul to it.”

For Mikaela Cojuangco Jaworski, who heads the IOC’s coordination commission for the 2032 Games, the emblems represented a “vibrant expression” of the nature and character of the region. The Olympics and Paralympics will be centered on the state capital, Brisbane, but cities across the state, including the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast, will host competitions.

Australia has twice previously hosted the Summer Olympics, at Melbourne in 1956 and at Sydney in 2000.

The Sydney emblem design contained representations of famous landmarks including the Sydney Opera House, the city’s famous harbor and beaches, as well as boomerangs, sun and rocks.

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