Governing Bodies
TRUMP CONFIRMS US GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR LOS ANGELES 2028
Donald Trump has promised that the United States Government will provide “tremendous support” to the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.
The American President confirmed that assistance would be given in key areas including security.
Trump was briefed by organisers during a trip to Los Angeles and described the Games as a “big deal”.
An agreement was signed at the Montage Beverly Hills, with the Government also pledging to help with transportation, communications and environmental contributions.
Los Angeles 2028 is due to be a privately-funded Games with a proposed $6.9 billion (£5.3 billion/€6.2 billion) balanced budget, with revenues coming from sponsorship, television deals and ticket sales.
However, the US Government was still expected to contribute several million dollars which has now been agreed.
The Games have been designated as a “National Special Security Event” which prompts political involvement.
“We’re going to give them tremendous support,” Trump said.
“You need the support of the Federal Government to make it really work.”
A formal commitment to the Games by the Federal Government is a requirement of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The White House had previously promised to back the Olympics when Los Angeles was bidding for 2024, but had not yet officially agreed to support them now the Californian city is hosting in 2028.
It followed a unique deal confirmed at the IOC Session in Lima in September 2017 that saw Paris awarded the 2024 Olympic Games and Los Angeles the 2028 edition.
Organising Committee chairman Casey Wasserman was among those to meet with Trump, alongside the chief executive of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee Sarah Hirshland.
“Our goal is to create a safe, successful and secure Olympic Games,” Wasserman said, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“And that’s not possible without the support you and the Federal Government have provided us.”
Trump is hoping to win a second four years in office in November’s elections.
This would see him reach his term limit, meaning he would not be in power when Los Angeles plays host.
“It is a great pleasure to meet with the leaders of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Committee,” he said.
“They have done a fantastic job in bringing the Olympics here.
“They called me when I was President elect, that was quite a call.
“They asked me if I could get involved because the other administration refused to call the Olympic Committee, which is the people who make the decision.
“It was a little hard for them to make the decision.
“I did make the call, and it was a very long call, they were starving for love and we gave them the love.
“Casey, you and everybody else have done a fantastic job, we got the Olympics to come to Los Angeles.
“It was a big moment.
“Because of your hard work and dedication the United States will once again proudly host the Olympic Games, how exciting is that?
“From the day I took office I’ve done everything in my power to make sure LA achieved the winning bid.”
-insidethegames
FIFA’s independent Ethics Committee has banned former Guyana Football Federation (GFF) General Secretary Ian Alves from all football-related activities for five years after finding he sexually harassed female staff members.
FIFA also fined Alves 20,000 Swiss francs ($22,000) after determining that he had breached provisions of the FIFA Code of Ethics relating to the protection of physical and mental integrity, abuse of position and general duties.
“FIFA has a strict stance against all forms of abuse in football,” the organisation said on Monday.
The decision followed a review of written statements from the victims, documents provided by the GFF, submissions from Alves, and other evidence gathered during the investigation.
Alves stepped down from his position in 2024.
The ban came into force on Monday, when the terms of the decision were notified to Alves, and the full grounds for the ruling will be communicated within 60 days in accordance with the Code of Ethics, FIFA added.
The GFF did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Alves could not immediately be reached for comment.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that he planned to seek re-election for a fourth term in a bid to continue to lead the governing body of world soccer.
Infantino confirmed he would run for the 2027–2031 term in the closing moments of the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, which comes less than two months before the start of the World Cup.
The election will be held on March 18 in Morocco, which is set to co-host the 2030 World Cup.
Infantino said he was “honoured and humbled” to have the chance to run for a fourth term.
The Italian-Swiss took office in 2016, replacing Sepp Blatter, and was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023.
Infantino has pushed for the expansion of FIFA competitions during his tenure, with this year’s World Cup in North America the first to feature 48 teams, while the women’s tournament in 2023 has been expanded to 32 teams.
Infantino’s tenure has also drawn some criticism over issues such as high World Cup ticket prices and the decision to award the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to U.S. President Donald Trump at the World Cup draw in December.
Earlier this month, the council of South American football’s governing body (CONMEBOL) said in a statement it would unanimously support the 56-year-old if he decided to seek another term.
-Reuters
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The supporters of Vancouver Whitecaps, a professional football (soccer) club in Canada, have staged a protest outside the FIFA Congress on Thursday, voicing fears that the Major League Soccer club could be relocated as uncertainty deepens over its ownership and long-term future.
The club is one of Canada’s most historic football institutions and has long been a central part of Vancouver’s sporting identity.
Around 100 fans gathered as delegates arrived for the annual FIFA meeting in Vancouver, chanting, singing and waving club flags in a show of solidarity. The demonstration comes just days after Vancouver Whitecaps FC revealed difficulties in securing a buyer willing to keep the club in the city.
The Whitecaps disclosed earlier this week that “stadium economics, venue access and revenue limitations” have complicated efforts to sell the club, despite a 16-month search for new ownership.
Season ticket holder Derek Hawksworth said supporters felt compelled to act amid growing fears of relocation.
“I wanted to come down given the threat of the team possibly moving,” he said. “It’s a rich history with the Whitecaps in North America… we want Vancouver to stay and not relocate. The history is here, and we want to continue with that history moving forward.”
The Vancouver Whitecaps are a professional football (soccer) club based in Vancouver, Canada. They currently compete in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top-tier league in the United States and Canada.
Concerns were heightened by reports that cities such as Las Vegas and Phoenix are leading contenders should the club relocate.
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has urged intervention, calling on the provincial government — which owns BC Place — to negotiate a “bridge deal” that would allow the team to remain while plans for a new stadium are explored. The club’s current lease at BC Place expires at the end of the year.
Despite the off-field uncertainty, the Whitecaps have been one of the standout teams this MLS season. They currently sit second in the Western Conference with 24 points from nine matches, just three points behind the San Jose Earthquakes.
For supporters, however, performances on the pitch offer little comfort as the future of their club hangs in the balance — a situation they hope global football leaders gathering in Vancouver will not ignore.
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