Online Reporter
OLYMPIC chief Kirsty Coventry said on Wednesday she was confident for the successful hosting of the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles despite what she described as “challenges” for the FIFA World Cup.
The International Olympic Committee president insists they are “confident” that the LA Games in 2028 will not face the same immigration issues that have marred the build up to the FIFA World Cup — including Africa’s top referee, Omar Artan, from Somalia being refused entry by US officials.
Despite FIFA’s ’s close relationship with the Trump administration, the football body were also unable to stop Iran from being moved from a training camp in Arizona to Mexico and some of its officials being denied entry visas.
On Wednesday, Volker Turk, the high commissioner for human rights at the United Nations, also called for a “massive rethink” of immigration policies especially in the US around the FIFA World Cup.
Football’s show-piece tournament, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the US, kicked-off last night.
But the build-up to the June 11-July 19 competition has been marred by fans, a top referee and team officials being barred from the tournament.
A record 48 teams and millions of supporters are descending on the three host countries for the largest and most logistically complex World Cup ever staged.
But the refusal of US immigration authorities to allow Somali referee Omar Artan, one of Africa’s leading match officials, into the country underlined fears that US President Donald Trump’s immigration policy could leave deep scars on the tournament.
Coventry told reporters that a dedicated taskforce was working closely with the US Olympic Committee to smooth out the issues.
“We’re obviously very aware and following the World Cup as it gets closer and closer to kick-off time,” said Coventry.
“I am confident that in two years we will be able to overcome a number of the challenges that the World Cup are facing right now.” That, Coventry told a press conference, took “collaboration and learning”.
“The task force and everyone on the ground now are learning and we can only continue to work very closely with the OCOG (local organising committee), the USOPC (the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee), at this moment to continuously give our feedback we are receiving from stakeholders.
“Then it’s our job to monitor that, to advocate for that and for athletes and their entourage to be able to ensure that they are there in the LA28 Games.”
Coventry added: “We’re going to consistently work with them, we’re going to consistently collaborate with them.
“As soon as we get any feedback from the Olympic movement and our stakeholders, we relay that directly to them. — AFP Sport/theguardian.com
