LA28, USOPC seek to ease IOC concerns about Trump, 2028 Games

MILAN — LA28 and U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Games officials on Tuesday sought to reassure International Olympic Committee members amid rising concerns about the Trump administration’s foreign policy and impact on the 2028 Games, promising that the world’s athletes would be welcome into a “safe and secure environment” in Los Angeles.

USOPC chairman Gene Sykes and LA28 chairman Casey Wasserman immediately addressed those concerns head on without mentioning President Donald Trump in their opening remarks at the IOC session Tuesday.

Trump has made repeated threats to move the Games and World Cup matches out of Los Angeles and other “blue state” cities, as well as threats to deploy military or National Guard troops to the city during the Olympics. Also in question is whether athletes, coaches and other support staff will be admitted to the U.S. for the Games, the potential presence of ICE around Olympic venues, the administration’s foreign policy and the role of a federal task force in the planning of the Olympics.

All have raised concerns within the IOC about the 2028 Games, which appeared drama free when they were awarded to Los Angeles in 2017.

“At a time when reassurance matters let me be clear: The United States remains fully committed to the independence, the integrity and global mission of the Olympic and Paralympic movement,” Sykes said. “We understand the responsibility that comes with hosting the world. We embrace it with humility, with respect and preparation.”

Wasserman, describing Los Angeles as a “reflection of the world itself,” also stressed what he described as the unifying power of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, which he promised would “meet the moment we live in.”

“Through times of challenge and change the Olympics have endured as beacon of hope and human achievement,” Wasserman said. “And I promise you all today LA28 will be no different.

“Of course the LA Games will not happen in a vacuum. The world is complicated and unpredictable. Conflicts within and among nations ignite and are resolved. We are not naive to this reality. We take it seriously and will face it head on. But I’d argue that it’s exactly because of these challenges the world needs a strong Olympic Games more than ever. Rather than focus on what is frightening. Let us focus on the opportunity this moment presents, the opportunity to undeniably establish the Olympics as the singular unifying force for the world. Because here’s the truth, the world does not need another reason to fight with each other. It needs a reason to come together.”

Whether foreign athletes and their entourages will be able to enter the U.S. both for the Games as well as competitions prior to the Olympics and Paralympics has been a major concern of IOC members, national Olympic committees and international sports federations.

The U.S. rejected the visa applications for 14 Ethiopian athletes who were to compete in the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Fla., last month. Senegal’s women’s basketball team canceled a 10-day training camp in the U.S. in June after the U.S. rejected the visas for five players and six staff members.

Sykes said the USOPC and LA28 have been working “closely” with the State Department to create a special visa system for athletes “that would allow athletes in any part of their preparation for the Games to have access through a visa system that designated specially for them.”

LA28 and the USOPC have opened a joint office in Washington, D.C., to focus on the visa issue and have hired employees with State Department experience to work on the issue.

Sykes also encouraged officials from other national Olympic committees to reach out to LA28 and the USOPC with any visa concerns or questions they might have. This summer’s World Cup represents a “trial run” in terms of foreign fans entering the U.S. that LA28 and the USOPC would use to “apply the lessons to the Olympic Games.”

Wasserman, responding to IOC member questions about LA28’s budget and ticket prices, said Los Angeles’ third Olympic Games must deliver on a balanced budget.

“At worst we break even,” Wasserman said.

LA28’s budget has increased to $7.2 billion from $6.9 billion, LA28 officials told the IOC. LA 28 officials earlier informed the Los Angeles City Council of the increase.

LA28 received 1.5 million ticket request registrations last month.

IOC vice president Nicole Hoevertz, head of the IOC committee coordinating with the Los Angeles Games, said the ticket registration figures were “very, very promising” that LA28 would hit its 15 million ticket sales target.

Wasserman acknowledged that Los Angeles ticket prices are on the average 17% higher than those for the 2024 Olympics in Paris but again stressed the need to break even.

LA28 officials told the IOC that it will hold test events from the summer of 2027 through June 2028.

LA28 also announced on Tuesday that the Rose Bowl will hold the Olympic soccer gold-medal matches — the men’s final on July 28 and the women’s final a day later. Besides Pasadena, Calif., Olympic soccer competition will take place in six other cities: New York; Columbus, Ohio; Nashville, Tenn.; St. Louis, San Jose, Calif.; and San Diego.