A US Olympic official has explained how Donald Trump could impact the 2028 Olympic Games scheduled to take place in Los Angeles, California.
US Olympic and Paralympic Committee Chair Gene Sykes claimed last Thursday that he has been given “significant reassurances” that Trump’s proposed travel restrictions won’t keep athletes from attending the 2028 Summer Olympic Games.
In March, the Trump administration said it was considering sweeping travel restrictions for the citizens of a spate of countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Syria and Cuba.
Moreover, reports of detainment and deportation have resulted in some countries issuing travel warnings alerting their citizens of risks associated with travelling to the US.
Regarding the proposed restrictions, Sykes said: “We had a wide range of discussions with parties in Washington, D.C. I would say we received tremendous support from the administration and members of Congress. There is great excitement and focus on the L.A. ’28 Games.
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“It’s very clear that from the very top of the administration, they want this to be an incredibly successful experience for all Americans and all of the athletes and visitors who come from, frankly, every country in the world.
“[The Trump administration] understands what it means to host the Olympic Games. So we were provided with significant reassurances about the work they’re going to do with us to manage the visa process to make this work well for athletes and their appropriate entourages.”
Another Trump policy that could have an impact on the 2028 Games is an executive order barring transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports. It states that the US will “to the extent permitted by law” prevent “males seeking to participate in women’s sports” from entering the country for competitions.
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Sykes said the issue was “one of the key topics” during Wednesday’s closed-door US Olympic and Paralympic Committee meeting, with the board having discussed “feedback” from the US State Department regarding the executive order signed in February.
“As a board, we reaffirmed our commitment to protecting opportunities for athletes to participate in sport. We will continue to collaborate with various stakeholders with oversight responsibilities,” Sykes said, “to ensure women have a fair and safe competitive environment.”
He added that the board “is dedicated to maintaining an open and ongoing dialog and we will actively engage on this topic as discussions evolve.”
Chris Byfield