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≡ BOARD UPDATE ≡
“Very confident” was the way U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee President Gene Sykes described the work of the LA28 organizing committee, whose report was a central feature of the USOPC Board meeting just completed. At a Wednesday news briefing, Sykes explained:
“LA28 is making tremendous progress. Operationally, they have done a number of things in the community … they have built a team that is now quite a large team and will be as many as 5,000 full-time members by the time of the Games, with tens of thousands of volunteers. Their big, complicated project now feels very near and they’ve made very impressive progress.”
He noted the sponsorship sales program is doing “incredibly well” and as for the ongoing first session of ticket sales, “they shared with us the number, which they haven’t shared publicly, but it’s incredibly impressive, and they’ve been selling tickets at a remarkable rate.
“I would also say they’ve taken great efforts to make sure tickets are available at all prices; over a million tickets will be priced at $28 per seat. So we were quite encouraged to hear from them, and quite confident in the direction of LA28 from an operational standpoint.”
He was questioned about the technical glitches in the sales effort and the ticket pricing, including the negative reaction to the 24% service fee attached to the ticket cost (although the entire cost was shown in the listed ticket prices):
“We actually had a very thorough discussion with the LA28 about this today, so they are not only very aware of the issue, but they had given us a lot to think about. The 24% ticket charge is a standard charge, sort of a normal charge that is embedded in the ticket price, so from their standpoint, I think they are operating with professional operators in sports and event ticketing [AXS and Eventim] that have worked with events all around the world.”
As for the prices themselves, “There are some tickets which are high-priced, but they have made a great effort to have low-priced tickets. They’ll have a million tickets priced at $28, and $28 tickets for all medal events. So I know they are thinking very seriously about how to manage the ticket activities so that it satisfies everybody; that’s on their minds.”
As for the technical issues and what is on sale now, Sykes referred those issues back to LA28, but added, “I think they’ve really planned for this quite well and we’re pleased with the progress that we understand, and we know that they have to make sure that the community understands the answers” to those questions.
Sykes also spoke to the angry Tuesday hearing of the Los Angeles City Council’s Olympics and Paralympics committee, explaining:
“I think the frustration has been over a certain agreement that has not yet been completed with the City of L.A., and I believe actually that has a lot to do with various parts of the City administration not having the same point of view, and LA28 trying to bring things to a conclusion, and reach an agreement. I think that’s been challenging, but we remain confident that they will do a very good job.”
Asked about what the USOPC Board believes LA28 Chair Casey Wasserman’s role should be going forward in view of the controversy surrounding his long-ago interchange with child sex traffickers Ghislane Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein, Sykes replied:
“We take the concerns seriously. … The USOPC Board has actually had many discussions about this topic and we’ve actively engaged and listened to our stakeholders, including athletes, and we’re closely monitoring the impact on our community.
“We’ve also shared our concerns with the LA28 Board, which is responsible for determining who serves as its Chair.”
He again praised the work of the LA28 staff, led by chief executive Reynold Hoover.
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Sykes lauded the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes competing in the Milan Cortina Games, calling their performance “simply outstanding” and adding:
“You carried yourself with a talent that makes us stand up and cheer, sometimes almost in disbelief in what we were witnessing. And you also carried the pride of your community and the entire nation. For that, we’re eternally grateful.”
USOPC chief executive Sarah Hirshland noted the exceptional breadth of performances, with 85 Olympic medal winners and 28 Paralympic medal winners on the U.S. squad. Moreover, the U.S. won medals in 11 of 16 Olympic disciplines – more than any other country – and four of five Paralympic disciplines. This is good and there is more to come:
“Paris [2024] and Milan results are evidence of a system that is working hard in support of athletes. Add in some home soil and home crowds [for 2028] and we feel the conditions for something very special are coming together quite nicely.”
Hirshland also voiced continuing concern over the mess in collegiate sports, observing:
“As football economics force universities to spend more to be competitive, Olympic-sport programs can often be the first budgets to be cut. When those programs disappear, the pipeline shrinks and the ripple effects reach all the way to the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
She called on Congress “to pass legislation stabilizing collegiate sports before the crisis fully arrives. Bipartisan Congressional legislation to lock in sustained, long-term investment is critical.”
Sykes noted that the USOPC Board formally certified USA Lacrosse as a new National Governing Body, and that USA Surfing will be re-certified as an NGB as of 1 June 2026. Both had the backing of their respective International Federations. No update was provided on the ongoing NGB situations for badminton, cricket and skateboarding.
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