★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★
★ To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★
≡ ADA PREP AGAINST SUITS ≡
“[I]t is the [Department on Disability’s] contention that providing funding for DOD’s major events related work ultimately will decrease the City’s risk of non-compliance. Doing so will save hundreds of thousands to hundreds of millions of dollars during the Games and beyond that would otherwise be expended on litigation costs, including settlements and judgments for noncompliance.”
The Los Angeles City Council agreed, approving by 12-0, a modest initial funding allocation and instructions to try and keep the City’s liability exposure down for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games:
“1. INSTRUCT the City Administrative Officer (CAO), in coordination with Department on Disability (DOD), to:
“Identify $66,107 for one Senior Management Analyst (with six-month authority) and $140,000 for Contractual Services.
“Report on all City costs, including DOD’s accessibility services, that will be reimbursable by LA28, once the Enhanced City Resources Master Agreement has been finalized.
“2. DIRECT all City departments with major events-related responsibilities to report to the Office of Major Events on how they are accounting for and integrating the costs of ADA compliance into their work; and any resources, including staff and other expenses, that are needed to comply with ADA regulations and requirements.”
This $206,167 expenditure also covers services related to fan zones for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Fan Zones. But the ask for the remaining two years for the Games will increase significantly according to the Department on Disability’s report from 21 November 2025:
● For Fiscal Year 2026-27: $328,435 for three staff positions and contracted services.
● For Fiscal Year 2027-28: $625,812 for three staff, contracted services and transportation and overtime.
● For Fiscal Year 2028-29: $2,312,991 for three staff, contracted services and transportation and overtime.
The requested three-year total is $3,537,236 and the Department on Disability is not at all sure that the costs will be reimbursed by the LA28 organizers under the Enhanced City Resources Management Agreement:
“The inclusion of City costs prior to the 2028 Games for planning activities is being discussed within the ECRMA negotiations; however, it is uncertain which costs and services could be considered reimbursable by LA28 until the completion of the ECRMA. That said, because the Department’s games related services are generally for City related Games events and not within the ‘Games footprint’ as it is currently understood, the Department anticipates that ECRMA related reimbursement for its services will be minimal, if any at all. The Department would be happy to work with the Office of Major Events and the CAO [City Administrative Officer] if reimbursement for its services is a possibility.”
The costs beyond the staff requested are for “facility accessibility assessments and auxiliary aids and services for effective communication to support the accessibility of City provided Major Events related programs and activities,” such as:
● Facility accessibility inspections and reports for ADA compliance
● Sign language interpreting
● Real-time translation captioning
● Live audio descriptions
● Printed materials in braille and large print
There will be more as the Games get closer and there is a deeper understanding of what the disability needs will be. The City, however, is legitimately worried about possible liability at venues within the City limits and is trying to head if off.
And the department report notes that this is likely a City cost to get ready that cannot be recouped from the LA28 organizers.
¶
★ Receive our exclusive, weekday TSX Recap by e-mail by clicking here.
★ Sign up a friend to receive the TSX Recap by clicking here.
★ Please consider a donation here to keep this site going.
For our updated, 681-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!
