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≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡
The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee had its final Board meeting of 2024 online, with a great appreciation for the success of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, but also looking forward to 2025 and the start of the run-up to the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, to Los Angeles for 2028 and to the start-up of the 2034 Olympic Winter Games organizing committee in Salt Lake City.
Closest to home was the recent visit of the International Olympic Committee’s Coordination Commission to Los Angeles in November. USOPC Board Chair Gene Sykes noted that this visit brought more than 50 people to L.A. and the meetings, over 3 1/2 days were the most comprehensive yet. As for where the LA28 organizers stand now, Sykes noted that “they are in good shape and making great progress.”
Asked specifically about sponsorship sales, Sykes explained:
“They are capitalizing on Paris. There’s been a quite a strong number of indications of interest that have evolved into real discussions and they are making good progress.
“As you saw, they just appointed John Slusher, long-time Nike marketing executive, as the head of the USOPP, the joint venture between the USOPC and LA28, which is responsible for all marketing activities. I think that’s a very constructive step as well.
“So I think there are generating very, very good commercial interest and I expect they’re going to do very well in 2025 in particular, because the excitement coming out of Paris is exceptionally high, and so the visibility of these next games in the entire Olympic Movement is stronger than it’s been in some time.”
Chief executive Sarah Hirshland spoke to the surprising news that Lake Placid is being enlisted as a back-up site for the bobsled, luge and skeleton events for Milan Cortina 2026, in case the sliding track under construction in Cortina is not completed in time:
“Let me start by saying Milan Cortina is certainly incredibly focused on creating a sliding center that will be part of their Games in Italy, and we are excited about that and actually hold promise that that will happen. You may know there is a plan focused on the initial homologation of that venue in March.
“So we will keep our fingers crossed, that’s what’s best for Milan Cortina. And that’s what best for athletes, Team USA and others.
“However, as you also know, we have an incredible venue in Lake Placid and early on when there was question about the viability of a sliding center in Italy, we raised our hand and said if you need support or you need assistance, we’re here to help.
“So we are in dialogue with the organizing committee to ensure that if they have obstacles that they can’t overcome in their own sliding center, that were here to be able to help support and ensure that sliding athletes have a great experience around the Games.
“We’re excited about that. It’s certainly not the ideal first choice or first plan. But if it’s required, our country and the state of New York and Lake Placid and the organizers up in Lake Placid, who host so many events on an annual basis, we’re ready, and we’ll be happy to help support.”
As for Salt Lake City in 2034, the organizing committee is under formation and the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games – the bidding organization – will hold its final meeting this week. The founding of the actual organizing committee is expected in January.
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Sykes spoke to the continuing war of words between the World Anti-Doping Agency and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, offering an optimistic view that at least the sides are in contact:
“I would actually say that the situation has improved to the degree that WADA and USADA are talking with each other, as opposed to addressing each other through press releases and so forth.
“It’s not an easy relationship because they have some fundamental issues which are unresolved issues, but they are very much engaged in an effort to see how can they make an agreement between the two of them to move forward.
“Now it’s it’s one which we hope will get resolved relatively soon. But they were both together in Riyadh [KSA] last week, or the week before last actually [for WADA Board meetings]. And so that the level of engagement is both more respectful and it’s encouraged by us and others so that everyone realizes it’s very important that WADA is respected, while at the same time WADA performs a very important role that the sports community expects WADA to perform, and USADA and others have had questions.
“They’ve had the outside investigator do their report, and that’s provided some opportunity for some improvements and adjustments which I think will be constructive in reaching a conclusion here.”
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The USOPC named Purdue University President Mung Chiang to its Board, to fill the remainder of Sykes’ term as an independent member of the Board, also a help in the collegiate community as the NCAA’s largest athletics programs are undergoing fundamental changes in structure and finances.
Hirshland noted:
“We’re continuing to engage with our colleagues across the landscape of collegiate sport, at the NCAA, at conferences, and at individual institutions to really understand the potential impact of the landscape as schools are responding to the pending House settlement and to the evolving NIL [name-image-likeness] environment and certainly, the potential for Congressional intervention.
“I will tell you we are, however, heartened by what we’ve heard from many athletic directors who are facing these new revenue obligations. The commitment to Olympic sport is a priority on campuses across the country and we continue to hear that. And we’re excited by it. We are willing and will continue to work with all who seek a solution that protects Olympic and Paralympic sport opportunity for student athletes.”
That will be an issue to watch closely – very closely – in 2025.
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