A coincidence of timing, nothing more. The organizers of the Los Angeles 2028 Games officially announced, Monday July 18, the dates of the Olympic and Paralympic meeting in California. The opening ceremony of the Olympic Games will take place on July 14, 2028, the French National Day. A coincidence of the calendar in the form of a wink, four years after the Paris 2024 Games.
In the application file, Los Angeles 2028 planned the Olympic Games to straddle July and August (July 21 to August 6), then the Paralympic Games also to straddle two months (August 22 to September 3). But, surprise, the Californian organizers have brought forward their date.
The Olympic Games will take place from July 14 to 30, 2028. They will be the earliest in history for Los Angeles, whose two Olympic events began respectively on July 30 in 1932, then on July 28 in 1984.
For the Paralympic Games, the Americans are also innovating, with competitions scheduled for August 15 to 27. They will be the first in history organized in California.
As a reminder, the Paris 2024 Games will take place from July 26 to August 11 for the Olympic version, then from August 28 to September 8 for the Paralympic counterpart.
Janet Evans, the multiple Olympic swimming medalist, now responsible for athlete relations at LA 2028, explained this on Monday July 18: “ Today marks the official countdown to the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games. They will be unlike any other, showcasing the best of Southern California's exceptional venues and world-class culture to athletes and fans. This step makes the Games real, for each of the athletes who are training to realize their LA28 dream, but also for all the fans who follow the adventure"
Same promise of greatness from Casey Wasserman, the president of LA28. The Californian repeats a speech already heard many times during the application phase: “ Los Angeles is an ambitious city of endless possibilities, where the Games will reflect our community. LA will provide the perfect backdrop to host the world’s largest cultural, sporting and entertainment event. »
Anything but a coincidence, the official announcement of the dates of the Games came during Thomas Bach's visit to Los Angeles. The IOC President began his American trip last week in Birmingham, Alabama, to register his presence at the 2022 World Games. He continued further west with a stop in the future Olympic city.
Accompanied by Nicole Hoevertsz, the president of the coordination commission for the LA 2028 Games, Thomas Bach took a tour of the sites. She had no surprises in store for her, the Californian file essentially providing for the use of already existing equipment, including for the athletes' village, planned on the campus of the University of Southern California (USC).
The German leader was also entitled to a presentation on the ground of some of the initiatives and achievements of the PlayLA program, dedicated to the development of sports practice among young people. Thomas Bach was thus able to verify that the IOC money was spent as written in the contract, the Olympic body having agreed to invest 160 million dollars in the program, in return for the agreement concluded with Los Angeles to waive the Games in 2024 and accept the 2028 edition.
Thomas Bach did not hold back his praise: “ Six years before the opening ceremony of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, this is already a significant legacy, making a notable difference in the lives of more than 100.000 children. This program will help attract new fans of Olympic sports, and leave a sporting legacy for generations to come. »
A legacy, already, six years before the first competitions. Very strong. But, less fortunate timing, the start of the countdown to the Los Angeles 2028 Games comes at a time when the group NBCUniversal, holder of broadcasting rights until 2032, prepare to close its Olympic channel. Launched in 2017, it will stop broadcasting on September 30.
