Sawt Falasteen - Olympics 'above politics' say LA 2028 organisers after Trump win

LA28 chairman Casey Wasserman said games organisers in the staunchly Democratic California metropolis were confident of working smoothly with the incoming Trump administration, and had already been in contact with the president-elect's transition team.

"The Olympics aren't about politics, and they're not about red and blue -- they're about red, white, and blue," Wasserman told a news conference.

"These are America's games taking place in Los Angeles. And it sits above politics in just about every way we experience. Our conversations with the federal government always involve talking with folks from every party.

"That's the nature of the world we live in. In this country, one side doesn't get to dictate everything. It requires cooperation and coordination."

Wasserman, who was speaking following a visit to Los Angeles by the International Olympic Committee's coordination commission, noted that Trump had been the US President in 2017, when the Games were handed to Los Angeles in Lima.

"President Trump previously was president, and actually when we got the games in 2017, and signed federally binding documents that committed them to deliver security and transportation," Wasserman said.

"We've had great success with both Republican and Democratic administrations, and we have no doubt that will continue. That started during the election process or sort of the election cycle -- we had outreach from both transition teams, so that they could get up to speed and get running once the election was over."

Wasserman also said LA28 officials had no concerns about policies of the new Trump administration -- which has vowed a sweeping immigration crackdown -- potentially disrupting preparations for the Olympics.

"President-elect Trump has been incredibly clear about the responsibility we have hosting world events, starting with the World Cup in 2026 and subsequently with the Olympics, and the requirements that places on the federal government," Wasserman said.

"Travel, security, transportation, logistics -- there's a lot that they provide and it's well known and well accepted across the federal government.

"We're looking forward to continuing the very good partnership we've had at all levels of the federal government."

LA28 chief executive Reynold Hoover, a former three-star US Army general, told AFP that Olympic organisers had congratulated Trump in a letter following his victory last week.

"We have already been engaging not only with the Trump administration that's coming in, but with our state, our partners at the Department of State, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Commerce, the FCC -- all of the federal partners that we're going to need to help bring these games together," Hoover said.

Los Angeles officials have expressed concern that the new Trump administration may make life difficult for the city, potentially restricting federally funded programs.

Los Angeles city council member Paul Krekorian, told the Los Angeles Times that Trump's election left him fearing "four difficult years for our city on multiple levels, not least of which is our access to federal funding for different programs, and preparations for the Olympics."

W.AbuLaban--SF-PST