LA 2024’s plan to use the UCLA campus as the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Village received a major endorsement today as global soccer giants Manchester United and Real Madrid have chosen its campus for their pre-season tour training base.
The news comes on Day 14 of LA 2024’s 20-day #FollowTheSun to Olympic Agenda 2020 campaign, demonstrating how LA 2024 can contribute to the IOC’s strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement, Olympic Agenda 2020. The iconic clubs’ decision to bring their elite squads to LA 2024’s proposed Olympic and Paralympic Village this summer highlights two of the bid’s key commitments: maximizing the use of existing facilities and putting the athletes’ experience at the heart of the Games, in line with Olympic Agenda 2020 Recommendation 1.2 and Recommendation 18.1.
UCLA’s campus will be the training base for Manchester United and Real Madrid for the West Coast leg of their pre-season tour to the US, in preparation for the 2017-18 season. Both squads will use the same existing world-class sports, medical, dining and leisure facilities that will be available to the Olympians and Paralympians of the world in the Village in 2024.
LA's Olympic weather and UCLA's main grass pitch and fitness centers provide ideal training conditions for elite athletes. The high-tech facility also has campus-wide Wi-Fi and eight different dining halls, serving a variety international cuisine tailored to fit any high-performance diet. The quality and quantity of sports training options on offer at UCLA mean LA 2024 can ensure every athlete will be able to train either at the Village or at their competition venue.
LA 2024 Chairman Casey Wasserman said: "We’re delighted that out of all the possible venues across the US, Manchester United and Real Madrid chose to use LA 2024's Olympic and Paralympic Village at UCLA as their pre-season training base. UCLA is a paradise for elite athletes – it has already produced 420 Olympians from 45 countries. The quality of the campus means LA 2024 can offer the world’s athletes a home-from-hone with state-of-the-art facilities, while eliminating the risk and billions of dollars in construction inherent in building a facility from scratch. The Olympic and Paralympic Village at UCLA was the logical, responsible and Olympic Agenda 2020-compliant choice for LA 2024."
UCLA’s Athletic Director Dan Guerrero said: "UCLA is extremely proud to be welcoming these two iconic teams and their world-class players to our campus this summer. Sport is an integral part our culture as an institution, and that is why we work tirelessly to offer our athletes and visiting athletes the best possible conditions. From sports facilities to health, nutrition and accommodation, UCLA gives athletes everything they need to fulfil their potential. It is fitting that some of today’s most famous global sports stars will be testing the facilities for tomorrow’s Olympians and Paralympians."
Manchester United’s players and 2024 Olympic and Paralympic athletes will be welcomed by staff at UCLA who currently serve over 16,000 residents from around the world every day. During the Games, their proven experience in hosting a diverse student body and elite-level international athletes will ensure that every athlete will have the best possible Games-time experience.
Both Manchester United and Real Madrid will play pre-season matches at other proposed LA 2024 venues during their time in the City of Angels. England’s most decorated club take on LA Galaxy at the StubHub Center, the centerpiece of the South Bay Sports Park, and Spain’s European Champions face Manchester City at the LA Memorial Coliseum, LA 2024's athletics and ceremonies venue.
LA 2024 Vice Chair and Director of Athlete Relations Janet Evans said: "The state-of-the-art UCLA training facility is just one of LA 2024’s many existing, modern and accessible facilities primed to deliver an athlete experience of unprecedented quality during the Games. It is very exciting that we are hosting these global sports powerhouses during a crucial part of their schedules. We are excited to welcome some of the best athletes in the world to experience our Olympic and Paralympic Village, where our focus is on providing the best possible Games-time experience for the athletes. The sun, scenery and world-class facilities make LA the ideal destination for both clubs’ pre-season tours and the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games."
For more information visit LA24.org.
LA 2024 can also be found on the following social media channels:
Twitter.com/LA2024
Facebook.com/LA2024
Instagram.com/LA2024
YouTube.com/LA2024
Snapchat.com/add/la2024
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