Trump is a sports fan at heart

Shortly before Donald Trump’s inauguration, IOC boss Thomas Bach does not fear any turbulence for the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, despite the recent controversies surrounding the future US president. “He is a sports fan at heart,” Bach told the German Press Agency about Trump and added: “He was involved in the application phase for both events and campaigned in one way or another for the Football World Cup and for the Olympic Games. That’s why I’m sure he’ll support both.”

Trump recently caused a stir with, among other things, threats towards Canada, saying that he wanted to put economic pressure on the northern neighbor country in order to possibly even unite it with the USA. Like Mexico, Canada is hosting the 2026 World Cup together with the USA. Mexico recently irritated Trump by announcing that it wanted to rename the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America”.

Bach is not seeking any further exchanges with Trump

Trump also had another verbal skirmish with California Governor Gavin Newsom and the city leaders of Los Angeles against the backdrop of the violent forest fires surrounding the metropolis. However, IOC boss Bach sees these disputes as no reason to worry about the two major sporting events in the USA. He also experienced a very open exchange of views with the US President in the White House during Trump’s first term in office.

Bach said he congratulated Trump on his election success last November. However, the outgoing President of the International Olympic Committee is not seeking further exchanges in his final months in office. “I don’t think it would be really fair or right, even with regard to my successors, to seek contact here again and thereby perhaps influence any decisions that will then be the responsibility of my successor,” explained Bach.

The new IOC head will be elected in mid-March. Seven candidates are in the race for the top office. Trump will be sworn in as US President on January 20th.