Jackpot for the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC). The body chaired by Gene Sykes announced that it had received a historic donation of 10 million dollars for its programme dedicated to the mental health of athletes. The generous patrons? Yucca and Gary Rieschel, two long-time supporters of the Olympic movement in the US. The two philanthropists wrote an eight-figure check to the USOPC through their foundation, the Rieschel Family Foundation. This is the largest private donation since the Olympic body created a charitable department ten years ago. The USOPC’s mental health programme was launched in 2020. It has already resulted in more than 1,700 one-on-one interviews with Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Its roadmap is set to culminate in the Los Angeles Games in 2028, where the US delegation is expected to be the largest in history.
