IOC 2028 CoComm Chair Visits LA

(ATR) The chair for the IOC Coordination Commission for Los Angeles 2028 returns to the city where she competed as an Olympic athlete 35 years ago.

"It’s really great to be back in LA," Nicole Hoevertsz told reporters on a conference call ahead of the final day of the three-day IOC visit on Thursday.

"This visit has brought back so many memories from my own participation in the Olympic Games in 1984." Hoevertsz competed for Aruba in synchronized swimming.

Her trip down memory lane came during the first Delivery Partners Meeting for LA2028. The first day was spent in meetings with the local organizing committee led by chair Casey Wasserman.

"I am extremely pleased to report that LA2028 is on track," Hoevertsz said, adding that this is the first time that the IOC and the local organizing committee are "co-creating the Games", a direct result of the IOC’s Agenda 2020 and the New Norm reforms.

Hoevertsz, who has been part of previous CoComms, said "This is the first time I’ve really felt that the two teams really exchanged information, exchanged knowledge, exchanged experience, and worked together to work toward the creation of an amazing Games."

On Wednesday, the IOC group that included Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi visited many of the venues, including the Los Angeles Coliseum, the Long Beach Sports Park, the South Bay Sports Park, LA Live and the University of Southern California (USC). The USC dormitories will be used to house the media during LA 2028.

Hoevertsz noted that while at USC, she visited the pool where she competed in 1984.

The final day of the trip on Thursday includes stops at the Olympic Village, which will be on the campus of UCLA, and the new LA Stadium at Hollywood Park, which is due to be completed in July 2020.

Despite not needing to build any new venues and the unprecedented nine year timeline to the Games, Hoevertsz tells Around the Rings that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything to do.

"The Games are not about just bricks and mortar, the Games are about so many other things, about creating a human legacy, about creating exciting programs for the youth, about creating wonderful Games, about delivering amazing Games and that takes a lot of time."

She also added that the IOC will be helping local organizers in keeping the cost of hosting the Games within budget.

"These Games are privately funded Games, so there is not going to be any government subsidy to deliver the games and that means the organizing committee will have to work very hard together with the IOC to come up with the budget to cover the expenses of these Games. They’re well on track with that and that is what they have dedicated their two previous years on up to now but they will have to continue.

"So even though it is a nine-year stretch from now to 2028, of course there will be a very tight planning and we will walk that road together with them. We will be back every year, perhaps even twice a year, perhaps even more, to make sure we continue working together and delivering exciting Games."

Homepage photo: IOC

Written by Gerard Farek

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