(ATR) Don’t rule out Donald Trump as an asset for the U.S. Olympic bid says one of the leaders of Los Angeles 2024 who’s also an influential IOC member.
"Well I know Mr. Trump is a huge supporter of sports, of Olympic sports in general. I think the support we'll get will be fantastic. We knew in advance that we had the support of the national government whether it was the Democrats or the Republicans that were going to take office," IOC Athletes Commission chair and IOC member Angela Ruggiero tells Around the Rings.
Ruggiero, an ice hockey Olympian and native of Southern California, is also Chief Strategy Officer for the LA 2024 bid committee. She’s been in Lausanne this week for meetings of IOC commissions which have drawn dozens of IOC members to the Olympic capital.
"It's interesting to hear [in Lausanne] everybody's perspectives, everybody has been following it but we're a sports organization, it's a sports bid," she said Wednesday.
"At the end of the day I hope members are supporting the best bid, what's good for the Olympic movement, and I think we've done a tremendous job and you'll see when our candidature file is submitted with all the other bids, you'll get to see what that is," she said.
The LA 2024 bid congratulated President-elect Trump on his victory in a brief statement on Wednesday.
"LA 2024 congratulates President-elect Donald J. Trump and appreciates his longstanding support of the Olympic movement in the United States. We strongly believe the Olympics and LA 2024 transcend politics and can help unify our diverse communities and our world."
IOC doyen Richard Pound of Canada is also in Lausanne and offered his perspective on the election.
"Everyone is adjusting to the new reality. Much will depend on whether Trump will embrace the bid. He seems to be able to work the crowds, so perhaps he may do the same on behalf of the bid," says Pound.
Olympian and broadcaster Donna DeVarona, a resident of New York like Trump, is in Lausanne as a Woman and Sport commission member.
"In talking to IOC members they realize there is a worldwide populist movement. One has to consider the French elections coming up and if factoring in the choice of a political figure will influence the vote so many months away. Many here will wait to make up their minds as to the choice of the bid city. This is the feedback I have been getting," DeVarona tells ATR.
Ruggiero maintains that Trump will not need convincing to back LA 2024.
"I know him. I know he's going to be fully supportive of what we're doing and he's a big sports fan, loves the Olympics, and I've talked to him personally about the Olympics and he's a huge supporter of it. So we'll, when the time is right as any bid would, have those discussions," she says about enlisting the support of the new president.
Ruggiero and the Los Angeles team will get to test Olympic Family reaction to Trump next week at the annual assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees in Doha. Los Angeles, Budapest and Paris will make their first international presentations at the meeting.
WPP chief executive Martin Sorrell, a keen follower of the Olympics, told ATR a few days ago he thought Clinton would be more welcoming for the IOC than Trump. Today, he is as surprised as many about the win by the Republican candidate. Sorrell says Trump still has the ability to sway the race for 2024 if he’s on best behavior.
"Depends on what President Trump says and does," safely observes the legendary ad man.
Written by Ed Hula.
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