It appears Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has gotten very concerned that the International Olympic Committee may award Paris the 2024 Olympics and forget about his city for 2024 and 2028 because of political concerns.
The International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said no decision has yet been made about the 2024 and 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The IOC will discuss the bidding process on June 9. Garcetti said the LA bid committee was looking at a deal to host the 2028 event. Garcetti acknowledged that Trump is a problem. “Given some of the challenges we face globally right now with leadership, 2028, would be I think quite a coup and something for us all to celebrate.”
Trump’s recent foreign trip appeared to not win friends or influence people such as Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel or Britain Prime Minister Theresa May. Calling Germany bad because of auto industry trade deal could influence some of Germany’s International Olympic Committee delegates to not vote for the LA bid. Same holds true of Britain’s IOC delegates and throw in the NATO members.
Then there is the French President Emmanuel Macron whose country wants the 2024 Games. Macron invited scientists to work in France after Trump said he was pulling out of the Paris climate agreement designed to curb global warming. The Olympics is highly political and delegates when not looking at money might turn away from countries with unfavorable policies although China and Russia have hosted recent Olympics.
The thought going into the final process of the bidding was that Paris had a leg up on Los Angeles for the 2024 Games but that the IOC would award the 2024 and 2028 Games at the same time. The IOC has just Paris and LA wanting the 2024 Games. The loser would get the 2028 Games. That may have changed because of Donald Trump.
By Evan Weiner For The Politics Of Sports Business
This article was republished with permission from the original publisher, Evan Weiner.