LAUSANNE, Switzerland (Reuters) – United States President Donald Trump has been a long-time supporter and promoter of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics and the International Olympic Committee is confident of his continued support, outgoing IOC President Thomas Bach said on Friday.
The Games were awarded to Los Angeles in 2017 when Trump was president. He also met Bach at the White House that year shortly before the Games were awarded to the city.
But Trump’s decision last month to ban transgender athletes from women’s sport in his country goes against an IOC rule that allows transgender athletes to take part in the Olympics. The Paralympics also allow transgender athletes to participate.
While the LA Games do not depend on federal funding like most other Olympics, as the project is privately funded, the federal government plays a key role in providing security, transport and travel assistance amongst other areas of support for the event.
“What my advice would be (to my successor) is to have confidence in the support of President Trump and his administration for the Games in Los Angeles,” Bach, who is stepping down in June, told a media roundtable.
“He has been a promoter and supporter of these Games during his first term. These Games were allocated to Los Angeles during the first term. He loves sport.”
The first Trump administration in 2017 enacted a travel ban targeting several Muslim-majority countries, which the President at the time said was needed to protect the U.S. against attacks by Islamist militants.
That had caused concern in the sports world with the Olympics bringing together more than 10,500 athletes from over 200 countries. Tens of thousands more people are foreign support staff, coaches, referees, media and fans from abroad.
“We also see that there is a very good relationship established between the organising committee and President Trump and his administration. The same is true for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee,” Bach said.
The German, 71, is stepping down in June after 12 years in charge, with elections for his successor on March 20.
The seven candidates are Juan Antonio Samaranch, son of the former long-time IOC president, World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe, multiple Olympic swimming champion Kirsty Coventry, who is Zimbabwe’s sports minister, and International cycling chief David Lappartient.
Prince Feisal Al Hussein of Jordan, International Gymnastics Federation head Morinari Watanabe and Olympic newcomer and multi-millionaire Johan Eliasch, who heads the International Ski Federation, complete the list of candidates.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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