John Coates, president of the AOC and Annastacia Palaszczuk, Premier of Queensland at the press conference after Brisbane was announced as the 2032 host city. Photo / Getty Images
John Coates, president of the AOC and Annastacia Palaszczuk, Premier of Queensland at the press conference after Brisbane was announced as the 2032 host city. Photo / Getty Images
Australia has reacted to a bizarre moment between Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Australian Olympic Committee boss John Coates at a press conference exchange in Tokyo.
Many called out the "awkward" nature of the interaction, some went further and slammed Coates for behaving like a bully.
Brisbane is announced as the 2032 Summer Olympics host city during the IOC Session at Hotel Okura in Tokyo. Photo / AP
After Brisbane was announced as host city for the 2032 Olympics, Coates told Palaszczuk she – and other members of the bid delegation including Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner and Federal Sports Minister Richard Colbeck – would be going to the opening ceremony in Japan.
The AOC president's directive came after Palaszczuk emphatically said she would not attend the opening ceremony because of the pandemic, and would instead watch it from her hotel room.
"You are going to the opening ceremony," Coates told Palaszczuk on Wednesday night.
"There will be an opening and a closing ceremony in 2032 and all of you, everyone there, has got to understand the traditional parts of that, what's involved in an opening ceremony.
"None of you are staying home and going to be sitting in your room."
The Premier simply said "I don't want to offend anybody" as she declined to outright accept or decline Coates' instruction.
President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach, centre, poses for a photo with members of the Brisbane 2032 delegation. Photo / AP
While some thought the exchange was cringeworthy, many were furious at how Coates spoke to Palaszczuk.
Journalist Natalie Forrest tweeted: "Wow … who the hell does John Coates think he is?"
TV reporter and presenter Mary Gearin wrote: "Wow indeed. What an extraordinary way for John Coates to talk to a Premier. Actually, anyone in the time of Covid."
Journalist Ellen Fanning added: "Watch how John Coates speaks to Qld Premier @AnnastaciaMP ... at a press conference on an international stage, turns mike on, arms folded, repeatedly insists she go to the Opening Ceremony despite the covid risk rather than 'hiding in your room'. Quite extraordinary."
James Massdorp called it "painfully awkward" while TV personality Julia Zemiro said: "A man continues telling … ordering … Premier Palaszczuk what to do & pestering … humiliating … her on a world stage."
Even Australian celebrity Magda Szubanski weighed in. "John Coates' behaviour is waaaay past awkward and a loooong way into thuggish," she tweeted.
Triple J's Shalailah Medhora said: "Can you imagine John Coates talking to a male Premier this way? It's beyond belligerent."
Former Swimming Australia CEO Leigh Russell was outraged. "This is disgusting. And yet another example of how women are treated in sport," she wrote on Twitter.
"#AnastasiaPalaszczuk in an impossible situation. Her constituents - don't go - why should you have all the fun when we are in a pandemic? Bully boys of sport - you're not in the club unless you come drink expensive wine with us….after all, that's what sport is about, right?"
John Coates behaviour is waaaay past awkward and a loooong way into thuggish
— Magda Szubanski AO (@MagdaSzubanski) July 21, 2021
John Coates is another one of those men who, even if you've never worked with him, you've worked with him. His body language and tone is so familiar it makes your stomach turn. https://t.co/beWQfoouiy
Journalist Jen Browning said the exchange was "super awks" and Marty Silk wrote: "Pretty disrespectful way to speak to a thrice-elected Australian political leader."
Speaking on ABC Radio on Thursday morning, Palaszczuk said "I'll let them sort that out" when pressed again on if she would be attending the opening ceremony.
President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach, right, bumps elbows with members of the Brisbane 2032 delegation. Photo / AP
"John Coates was laying down the law last night," she said. "We are now a part of the IOC family and I will do what John Coates says."
The Premier later said she would be attending.
There is a John Coates in every company, in every office and in every street in this country. This is not about John but what John is able to do without any moderation or consequence.
This is spectacularly awkward and awful. Mansplaining elevated to the stratosphere as John Coates lectures @AnnastaciaMP, who must be glad she could conceal what she was thinking behind a mask. #Brisbane2032https://t.co/ICUqrV4aHU
Coates was standing firm on Thursday morning, telling Channel 7's Sunrise he "overruled" Palaszczuk after she initially said she would not be among the 1000 or so VIPs to attend the opening ceremony, which – like most of the events – will be closed to the public because of Covid-19 restrictions in the Japanese capital.
"Yes I did do that (overrule the Premier) in a press conference last night," Coates said on Thursday. "I'm not sure how she responded to being told, 'You are going'.
"There will still be an opening and closing ceremony in 2032 with the traditional parts. It's very important that all the players in this understand that it's a very big expenditure by an organising committee, a lot of thought has to go into it – the parade of nations, all the traditional parts.
