Warm Welcomes Assured for 2028 LA Olympic Athletes: Trump vs. the IOC
Dissidents at the Olympics prophesy Trump won't instigate turmoil
Soccer fans worldwide are gearing up for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, but immigration worries due to the Trump administration's tough policies have cast a shadow over the event. Organizers, however, remain optimistic.
Gene Sykes, head of the U.S. Olympic Committee, reassured the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at their Greek resort gathering that everyone, not just Angelenos, would receive a hearty welcome. Casey Wasserman, the organizing chief, echoed the sentiment, stating that he sees no issues for participating countries.
Recently, there's been an increase in concerns that athletes from specific countries would face visa problems due to the Trump administration's tightened immigration policies. Given the Olympic Committee's stance against political intervention in sports, this scenario would be a disruptive contradiction.
Trump's recent announcement to ban transgender athletes from women's events and deny them visas for the 2028 Olympics has further unsettled the sports community. Despite this, Wasserman reported progress in talks with Trump concerning immigration rules for Olympic participants.
Since the 2017 Olympics were awarded to LA, every U.S. administration pledged unhindered access for all participants.
Pushing Boundaries:
- Wrangling Visas: Wasserman's meetings with Trump have yielded promises for obstacle-free access for Olympic participants. Early on, the Trump administration also appeared inclined to support unimpeded entry for the Games [1][2].
- Pressing Policies: The Trump administration's strict immigration policies, including travel bans for certain countries, could pose a problem for participants [2]. However, Wasserman has secured assurances from President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio that obtaining visas for athletes will not be an issue [2].
- IOC Optimism: IOC President Kirsty Coventry maintains confidence in U.S. support for the 2028 Olympics. Coventry plans to meet with President Trump to discuss essential matters like immigration and athlete participation [3].
- Athlete Access: Most athletes will enter the U.S. on a B1/B2 visa, typically used for events where athletes aren't paid by U.S. entities [1].
Source: ntv.de, ter/dpa
- Donald Trump
- IOC
- Olympic Games
- Despite the Trump administration's tightened immigration policies, Casey Wasserman, the organizing chief of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, has reported progress in talks with President Trump concerning immigration rules for Olympic participants.
- The European Parliament has also expressed its concern at the situation in Los Angeles, given the Trump administration's controversial stance on transgender athletes, banning them from women's events and denying them visas for the upcoming Olympic Games.
- This tension between the Trump administration's policies and the Olympic spirit, as represented by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), could lead to a disruptive contradiction, according to the Olympic Committee's stance against political intervention in sports.
