Los Angeles (AFP) – The head of Los Angeles 2024 said Thursday the city’s bid for the Olympics would not be harmed by the furore over the travel restrictions imposed by US President Donald Trump, insisting “sports is not about politics.”
“Sport is the one thing everybody agrees unites the world,” LA 2024 chief Casey Wasserman told AFP on the sidelines of a ceremony at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
“We are excited to show the diversity and unity of our city, the diversity and unity of our country, and how it could embrace the games in 2024,” Wasserman added. “We are excited about that.”
Wasserman’s comments come amid speculation that the policies of the Trump White House could hurt LA 2024’s chances as it builds towards September’s International Olympic Committee vote in Lima.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, a Democrat and prominent leader of the LA 2024 bid, on Sunday took aim at Trump’s restrictions on travellers from seven Muslim-majority nations.
“Los Angeles will always be a place of refuge, where the most vulnerable people fleeing war, or religious or political oppression, can find a safe and welcoming home,” Garcetti said, adding that travel bans only “fans the flames of hatred.”
Los Angeles, which has already hosted the Olympics in 1932 and 1984, is running against Paris and Budapest for the 2024 Games.
Thursday’s ceremony in Los Angeles, which featured workshops in dance, yoga and fitness, marked the start of LA 2024’s volunteer recruitment program.
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