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≡ IOC COORDINATION COMM.≡
“During three days we were here, it was great, absolutely, to be back on the ground in Los Angeles for the first time in person since 2022. …
“It is always good to be back and sense the passion and the enthusiasm of the Angelenos about the Olympics, and anything that has to do with sports.”
That’s International Olympic Committee Los Angeles 2028 Coordination Commission Chair Nicole Hoevertsz of Aruba, speaking at a Thursday news conference, enthusing over the prospects for a successful Olympic Games in four years.
“I think that Paris 2024 really took the global appetite for the Olympic and Paralympic Games to new heights, something really historic, I should say. … It demonstrated the importance of engaging everyone and bringing them along on the journey. LA28 also has the capacity to energize the Games, with L.A.’s culture of innovation and through its vision of harnessing the power of sports and community to collectively create ‘what’s next’ for new generations. …
“Our visit this week reaffirms that LA28 is poised to inspire the next generation and make a positive impact.”
But Hoevertsz also said much is expected, turning to LA28 Chair Casey Wasserman, adding:
“L.A. is the land of imagination, Casey, and when the world looks at the city, it expects to be ‘wowed.’ And with its spectacular venues and landscape, the passion for sport, vibrant communities and its breadth of culture and innovation, L.A. has all the ingredients to to exceed those expectations.”
The Commission visit included venue trips to the Rose Bowl, to be the site of the semifinals and finals of men’s and women’s football in 2028, as well as the Long Beach Convention Center, the Long Beach waterfront and the new Intuit Dome in Inglewood, the site for basketball.
Special visits were made to showcase the “PlayLA” youth sports program sites as part of the unique Youth Sports Partnership with the City of Los Angeles, funded by the IOC with $160 million.
A significant amount of time was given to debrief from the Paris 2024 Games, including with Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet (FRA) and chief executive Etienne Thobois (FRA); Estanguet will now join the LA28 Coordination Commission to help with continuity.
Wasserman said the staff count is still about 150, but with expansion coming and information on hospitality, ticket sales, volunteer efforts and the torch relay coming in 2026.
Hoevertsz made a special mention not only of the wealth of existing venues – none will be built – but also expertise, teasing Wasserman in the process:
“L.A. has a culture of having [events]; they know every well how to organize big events and big sporting events. They have games operators, stadium operators that are very well known in this field, so that is something that is going to be beneficial. …
“That doesn’t mean it’s going be easy. You have made it very difficult, Mr. Wasserman, by adding another few sports and making the sports program a little bit complicated, so it is up to us all together, and Casey said it very well, we have to do this together.”
Wasserman said that while placing cricket on the East Coast has been mentioned – “it’s a big footprint, so we want to find the right place for cricket which has the greatest chance for success” – it’s not likely to see many more sports placed outside of Southern California beyond canoe slalom and softball in Oklahoma City:
“I don’t think you’d see as many as five or six sports. There are natural things that require multiple venues because of field-of-play issues … but these Games are incredibly focused on L.A. and Southern California, and being responsible and making hosting the Games fit our city and our community.”
Wasserman also noted that LA28 will be working with its third President and its fourth administration with the second Trump Administration beginning in January, and that coordination efforts are continuing without incident.
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