LA28 accelerates preparation following visit by IOC commission

New York: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that the preparations and expectations for the 2028 Olympic Games have accelerated following their visit to Los Angeles this week, and the IOC was impressed by the facilities and enthusiasm displayed in the city. The LA28 Organising Committee provided a comprehensive report on their preparations, covering areas such as the venue masterplan, competition schedule, ticketing, hospitality programs, mascot, volunteer recruitment, and the Cultural Olympiad, according to the IOC’s announcement, reports Xinhua. Nicole Hoevertsz, Chair of the IOC’s LA28 Coordination Commission, said: “Every time we visit Los Angeles, we are reminded just how remarkable this city is, and how extraordinary its people are. We see this in the quality and quantity of world-class sports facilities available for the Games, including modern, cutting-edge stadiums and iconic legacy venues from the 1932 and 1984 Olympic Games.” Casey Wasserman, Chair of the LA28 Organising Committee, added: “It’s been a terrific three days hosting the Coordination Commission and showcasing the progress we’ve driven for our Games. We’ve developed an incredible foundation for our Games, and we’ll continue to build on this as we enter the delivery phase of LA28’s life cycle. LA28 has the most talented team of people making sure we have what we need to build something truly extraordinary for athletes, fans, residents, and visitors. We’re focused and we’re where we need to be to host an exceptional event in 2028.” The Commission members also visited key venues, including the basketball facility in Inglewood, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), which will serve as the Olympic and Paralympic Village, and the Rose Bowl. Representatives from Brisbane 2032 also joined the visit. The visit by the commission comes more than a month after IOC President Thomas Bach visited Los Angeles and met with the Organizing Committee of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games/ Bach visited the swimming, basketball, and American football venues during his stay, accompanied by LA28 President Casey Wasserman, IOC Vice-President Nicole Hoevertsz, as well as IOC Members Anita DeFrantz and Zhang Hong. The President also watched the National Football League (NFL) game between the LA Chargers and the Kansas City Chiefs at the SoFi Stadium, which will install a swimming pool inside the stadium. The Olympic swimming competitions will be held here and this will be the largest swimming pool in Olympic history, with a capacity of 38,000. –IANS