Brisbane's Olympic Games chief Andrew Liveris is downplaying reports in domestic media that saltwater crocodiles in the Fitzroy River in the state of Queensland pose a threat to the Olympic Games' rowing events in about seven years.
There are sharks in the ocean and we still surf, says Liveris according to the news agency AP.
Sarah Cook, chairperson of the Australian Rowing Federation, tells ABC News that the crocodiles can certainly be "quite shocking" for foreign visitors, but the area where the events will take place has a living rowing culture. The rowing events will take place 63 miles north of Brisbane.
Cook herself is more concerned about the currents in the river making it unsuitable for the Olympic Games.
On Tuesday, it also emerged that a completely new stadium will be built in Brisbane for the Olympic Games with a seating capacity of 63,000 spectators at a cost of approximately 24 billion kronor (3.8 billion Australian dollars), writes the news agency NTB. A new swimming arena with space for 25,000 spectators will also be built.
Brisbane was awarded the Olympic Games 2032 almost four years ago, but no major construction has yet begun.
Corrected version: In an earlier broadcast, the wrong currency was stated.
