The International Olympic Committee has expressed confidence that the 2028 Los Angeles Games will avoid the immigration controversies overshadowing the buildup to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including the refusal of entry to Africa's top referee, Omar Artan, by US officials.
Speaking to reporters, IOC President Kirsty Coventry announced that a dedicated taskforce is collaborating with the US Olympic Committee to address potential issues. "Of course, we are following everything that's happening daily," said Coventry. "I am confident that in two years we will be able to overcome a number of the challenges that the World Cup is facing right now."
The taskforce aims to learn from current problems and advocate for athletes and their support teams to ensure smooth participation in the LA 28 Games. Coventry emphasized the IOC's commitment to monitoring the situation closely.
The World Cup has faced significant immigration hurdles, including the denial of a US visa to Somali referee Omar Artan, who was set to officiate at the tournament. Despite FIFA's ties with the Trump administration, Iran's team had to relocate from Arizona to Mexico, and some Iranian officials were denied entry visas.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has called for a "massive rethink" of US immigration policies ahead of the World Cup.
Coventry also addressed criticism of her stance against paying Olympic athletes, hinting at alternative support mechanisms. "If we were not aware of it, we'd be hiding our heads under a pillow," she said. "But it's nothing new that I don't agree with prize money at the Olympic Games. There's prize money at continental games, at international federation games, at World Cups. I almost want to go back to being an athlete so that I could have the same possibilities that they have today."
She added: "At the Olympic Games I feel that we have a broader responsibility to try and find ways to directly support every Olympic athlete that comes to the Games, and I have been asking the teams here internally: how do we do that? How do we increase Olympic solidarity scholarships? How do we find other innovative ways?"
Coventry noted that the IOC has been working on new initiatives since she took office, with several "really cool, exciting commitments" to be announced. The principle remains to help every Olympic athlete.
