Donald Trump assured the president of the International Olympic Committee this week that he backs Los Angeles’ bid to host the Olympics in 2024 during a phone call arranged by Mayor Eric Garcetti, it was announced Thursday.
LA 2024 officials tweeted this morning that the president-elect “spoke with IOC President (Thomas) Bach to express his strong support” for the Olympics and the bid committee’s “plans to host a great Games.”
Garcetti aides confirmed that the mayor was involved in arranging the conversation, which took place Wednesday.
The call followed the mayor’s own brief conversation last week with Trump. During that phone call, the president-elect also endorsed L.A.’s bid for the Games.
Los Angeles is vying with Paris and Budapest for the opportunity to host the 2024 Summer Olympics. The IOC is expected to make its decision by late 2017.
The LA 2024 committee was quick to congratulate Trump on the day after his election and encouraged him to give his support for their bid.
In the weeks before the election, some had voiced concerns that a Trump presidency could threaten Los Angeles’ chance for hosting the games because some of Trump’s statements during the campaign might have offended some female, Islamic and Latin American members of the IOC, which is tasked with choosing host cities.
–City News Service