Sprint star Allyson Felix yesterday urged Olympic officials not to worry about the changing political landscape in the United States, while considering Los Angeles’ bid for 2024 Olympic Games.
LA-born Felix, a six-time Olympic gold medallist, said post the presidential elections, some may question America’s commitment to its founding principles.
“Please don’t doubt us. We represent openness, diversity and inclusiveness, and it is our greatest strength,” Felix said during the 20-minute official candidate city presentation of Los Angeles.
There have been murmurs that Trump’s foreign policy plans could harm the US city’s standing with some of the 205 National Olympic Committees, who represent a wide range of cultural and religious backgrounds.
The LA 2024 team outlined its plan for a low-risk, high-tech and sustainable new Games for a new era that will elevate the experience of the NOCs and their teams.
Yesterday’s presentation was one of three official presentations to IOC members, with the second presentation scheduled for July 2017 in Lausanne, Switzerland, and the final presentation in September 2017 in Lima, Peru.
The LA 2024 team is led by chairman Casey Wasserman, CEO Gene Sykes and vice-chair and four-time Olympic champion swimmer Janet Evans.
“I was born and raised in Los Angeles, in the same neighbourhood as the LA Memorial Coliseum, and I’m incredibly proud to be representing the city I love. But I am also here to represent the voice of the athletes – not just from the US, but those from around the world,” Felix told Gulf Times just before her address.
“I owe so much in my development as an athlete to the US Olympic Committee, and the same is true for Olympians worldwide. The ANOC General Assembly, and the ANOC Awards in particular, are great events and give us a wonderful opportunity to learn about and honour the remarkable work of the world’s NOCs,” the LA 2024 Athletes’ Advisory Commission member said.
Felix said Los Angeles needed the Games “now more than ever” to help make the US better.
“We are a nation of people whose descendants came from all over the world for a better life,” the most decorated female track-and-field athlete in Olympic history said.
“We are also a nation with individuals like me, descendants of people who came to America, not of their own free will but against it,” she said.
The last Olympics held in LA were in 1984 and since then a lot has changed in the city, said Felix.
“We’re not a nation that clings to our past, no matter how glorious – or how painful. Americans rush toward the future.”
Felix’s six Olympic gold medals and three silver medals make her the most decorated female track-and-field athlete in Olympic history. She won gold in the 4x100m and 4x400m relay events at Rio 2016, as well as a silver in the 400m. Felix is also a nine-time World Champion and was part of the 4x100m relay team that smashed a 27-year-old world record en route to gold at London 2012.
Speaking on the occasion, Wasserman said, “I think the Olympics are at its best when they rise above politics.
“The Olympic movement highlights the wonderful diversity and unity, bringing together more countries than the United Nations. LA 2024 is honoured, humbled and excited to be a part of it. We are here following voter approval of a $120bn transit upgrade and conservation legislation, which will ensure the National Olympic Committees and their athletes experience the very best of the City of Angels – a Games-ready city that is constantly imagining ‘What’s Next?”
Mayor Eric Garcetti added: “We believe our campaign isn’t just about the Games in our city in 2024. We believe this bid is about ensuring that the Games are sustainable and relevant in every year beyond 2024 as well. This bid isn’t only about LA’s future – it’s about our collective future. We are planning a great Games in Los Angeles – make no mistake – but we’re also laying the ground work along with you for future Games.
“We know that LA 2024 must not only deliver great Games, they must also deliver transformative Games. And we know that we can help transform the Games because we are a transformative city that reflects creativity and innovation.”
This is the third United States bid since hosting the Centennial Olympic Games in 1996 in Atlanta, previously losing in 2012 and 2016.
The IOC will choose the winning bid at its session in Lima next September.