The head of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, insists they are “very confident and relaxed” about working with Donald Trump ahead of the 2028 Games in LA – despite previously making disparaging comments about the newly-elected president.
Trump will be in the Oval Office when the Olympics return to the United States for the first time since Atlanta 1996.
During Trump’s first term, Bach made his feelings about the 78-year-old clear after a meeting at the White House in 2017. “Pray for our world,” Bach was heard saying.
Despite his previous comments, the IOC chief this week praised Trump as the new administration prepares to take charge.
“We have a lot of confidence in the steps and efforts that are being taken,” Bach said on Thursday.
“We also saw President-elect Trump repeatedly express his support for the Games, which we never doubted because he has expressed this support from the very beginning.”
Olympic Games chiefs insist they are ‘very confident and relaxed’ about working with Donald Trump
Thomas Bach said ‘we’ve never had any doubt’ about Trump’s support for 2028 LA Olympics
Trump, who recently defeated Kamala Harris in the presidential election, has since taken credit for bringing the Olympics back to the United States.
Earlier this week, Trump was also specially present at the draw for the FIFA Club World Cup next summer.
The incoming president delivered a special message to the crowd in Miami via video, hailing FIFA boss Gianni Infantino as the ‘winner’.
“The event is going to be incredible. I will try to be there if I can, I would, we’ll see what happens,” Trump said of the first edition of the post-season tournament, which will be held in the US.
“But I just want to say that you are led by a man named Gianni, I just know him as Gianni and he is a winner and he is the president and I am the president.
“We’ve known each other for a long time and I’m so honored to have such a relationship because, as everyone knows, football is going through the roof.”