Lausanne: Olympic chief Kirsty Coventry said on Wednesday she was confident for the successful hosting of the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles despite what she described as “challenges” for the World Cup.
Football´s showpiece tournament, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, kicks off on Thursday. But the build-up to the June 11-July 19 competition has been marred by fans, a top referee and team officials being barred from the tournament.
A record 48 teams and millions of supporters are descending on the three host countries for the largest and most logistically complex World Cup ever staged. But the refusal of US immigration authorities to allow Somali referee Omar Artan, one of Africa´s leading match officials, into the country underlined fears that US President Donald Trump´s immigration policy could leave deep scars on the tournament.
“We´re obviously very aware and following the World Cup as it gets closer and closer to kick-off time,” said Coventy, the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). “I am confident that in two years we will be able to overcome a number of the challenges that the World Cup are facing right now.” That, Coventry told a press conference, took “collaboration and learning”.
