IOC Confident LA 2028 Games Will Avoid World Cup Immigration Issues

The International Olympic Committee insists it is “confident” that the LA Games in 2028 will not face the same immigration issues that have marred the buildup to the World Cup – including Africa’s top referee, Omar Artan, from Somalia being refused entry by US officials.

Despite Fifa’s close relationship with the Trump administration, it was also unable to stop Iran being moved from a training camp in Arizona to Mexico and some of its officials being denied entry visas.

On WednesdayYesterday Volker Turk, the high commissioner for human rights at the United Nations, also called for a “massive rethink” of immigration policies especially in the United States around the World Cup.

Kirsty Coventry, the IOC president, told reporters that a dedicated taskforce was working closely with the US Olympic Committee to smooth out the 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 and everyone on the ground now are learning and then it’s our job to continue to monitor that and to advocate for athletes and their entourages to be able to ensure that they are there in the LA 28 Games.”

Coventry also acknowledged that there had been widespread criticism of her belief that athletes should not be paid for competing at the Olympics – and hinted that the IOC were looking at better ways to help athletes without giving them prize or appearance money.

“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.

“But 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?’

“We’ve been doing a lot of work since the day I took office. I think we have a number of really cool, exciting commitments that you’re all going to get to see. But for me the principle will be: ‘How do we try to help every Olympic athlete?’”