Angelenos want 2028 Olympics cancelled: Challenges and reasons why Los Angeles can’t back out of hosting LA 2028

The United States of America is currently a divided house under Donald Trump, who has proven to be a controversial leader as the president of the country. From signing executive orders to remove “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” (DEI) from the Foreign Service to his campaigns against transgender athletes has hinted towards a highly politically charged Olympics in 2028, which is set to take place in Los Angeles, USA.

Further fuelling the fears of strong political interference in Olympic matters is the new White House Task Force to handle security matters related to the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics. Trump is the head of the Task Force and some fear that his latest strong standpoints against illegal immigration and some particular countries may see a few athletes miss out on the LA2028.

Locally in Los Angeles, major issues like the Palisades and Altadena wildfires, which reportedly burned 23,448 acres of land, killed 12 people earlier in the year and the latest clashes between protestors and law enforcement in LA over homeless encampment clearance in Van Nuys have also brought a lot of negativity to America’s preparation to host the 2028 Olympics.

Just last month, an opinion piece in the San Fransico Chronicle demanded the cancellation of the LA 2028, while another news piece in the Los Angeles Times reported that some locals want the Games to be cancelled. But is that possible?

Can the Olympic hosts be changed now, just three years before the 2026 Summer Games? The easy answer to this is no.

Why can’t Los Angeles  back out of hosting 2028 Olympics?

While accepting the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics duty in 2017, the then-Mayor Eric Garcetti and City Council President Herb Wesson signed a binding Host City Contract (HCC). As per the contract, the Los Angeles city and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee are obligated to host the Olympics in 2028.

The options to walk away from the contract are only in the hands of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and there’s no such choice for the USA.

For those wondering how seriously the contract is followed, we have the example of Tokyo, which suffered massive losses during the COVID-19 pandemic, and while the Games were postponed by a year, the Olympics were eventually held in the Japanese city in 2021.

Welcome to Los Angeles, home of the sports and culture capital of the world.

As we plan for #LA28, take a look back at the history behind the previous 1932 and 1984 Games. We can’t wait to bring the LA28 Games to Los Angeles. #NextUpLA28

Watch the full video here:… pic.twitter.com/pLGGtqezyd

— LA28 (@LA28) August 13, 2024

Due to a high rise in COVID cases in 2021, 83% of citizens, as per a poll, wanted the Olympics to be cancelled in Tokyo, but that could not force the government to breach the contract. “Only the IOC has the authority to decide,” then-Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga had said while discussing the possibility of cancelling the Olympics.

As per a report in insidethegames.biz, Tokyo faced the danger of lawsuits ranging from €4.6 billion to €12 billion. Which is why the city decided to host the Olympics at whatever cost.

International arbitration expert Nathan O’Malley explained to the portal that LA would face huge financial losses if it decides to pull out from hosting the Olympics now.

“While one cannot foreclose all potential theories, it is hard to imagine a scenario where Los Angeles could terminate the HCC without facing substantial legal issues,” O’Malley said. “Especially if the reason for ending the contract was a political disagreement between the federal, state and local branches of government.”

How LA is arranging funds for 2028 Olympic hosting?

LA has decided to invest a lot of money in hosting the Olympics, but as per estimates, they may end up with a $1 billion deficit. The LA28 organising committee has said that it will need $7 billion (€6.5bn) to host the Games and $5 billion has already been raised.

The LA28 is officially funded by private money and the funds have been raised with the help of sponsorships, selling broadcasting rights and licensing agreements.

The city and the State of California will provide financial assistance if the planned expenditure is overrun by $270 million (€250m). Any additional costs beyond this will also be covered by the city.

All in all, despite political, humanitarian, climate and financial challenges, it seems impossible that the Los Angeles Olympics 20228 will be cancelled by the hosts.