{
  "id": 8156143,
  "title": "Secrecy over Olympic rowing course fuels south-east rower backlash",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/secrecy-over-olympic-rowing-course-fuels-south-east-rower-backlash-8156143",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-18T02:44:27.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Age",
    "slug": "the-age",
    "url": "https://www.theage.com.au/national/queensland/secrecy-over-olympic-rowing-course-fuels-south-east-rower-backlash-20260918-p60yir.html?ref=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "The Crisafulli government has not released a key report clearing Rockhampton's Olympic rowing venue, sparking anger from south-east Queensland rowers, according to The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.\n\nThe rowing venue in question is the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton, around 600 kilometres north of Brisbane. According to The Island Sri Lanka and BBC World, the river is home to about 500 saltwater crocodiles.\n\nThe course on the Fitzroy River has passed an independent technical assessment into its suitability, as reported by The Island Sri Lanka. World Rowing and Paddle Worldwide endorsed the course, with World Rowing President Jean-Christophe Roland stating that the Fitzroy River is capable of providing fair competition conditions during the period of the Games.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "BBC News",
        "title": "River home to 500 crocodiles chosen as Olympic rowing venue",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/river-home-to-500-crocodiles-chosen-as-olympic-rowing-venue",
        "published": "2026-09-17T09:03:28.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Island Sri Lanka",
        "title": "River home to 500 crocodiles chosen as Olympic rowing venue",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/river-home-to-500-crocodiles-chosen-as-olympic-rowing-venue-8024389",
        "published": "2026-09-17T11:26:09.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Sydney Morning Herald",
        "title": "Secrecy over Olympic rowing course fuels south-east rower backlash",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/secrecy-over-olympic-rowing-course-fuels-south-east-rower-backlash",
        "published": "2026-09-18T02:44:27.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}