Olympics Chief Calls It ‘Sad’ As ICE Protests And Epstein Files Hijack Build-Up
MILAN (AP) — Two years before the Los Angeles Olympics, the United States dominates the narrative ahead of the Olympics’ opening ceremony. Milan Cortina Winter Games.
International Olympic Committee officials, including the president Kirsty CoventryCouldn’t escape questions about to ICE And Jeffrey Epstein files at a news conference in Milan on Sunday.
Coventry tried to fend them off by saying it was not the IOC’s place to comment on the issues, but when pressed he admitted it was “sad” that such stories distracted from the upcoming Olympics.
“I think it’s a shame that everything distracts us from these Games, isn’t it? But we’ve learned over the years that there’s always something that takes the lead in the lead-up to the Games,” Coventry said. “Whether it’s Zika or Covid-19, there’s always been something going on.
“But what kept my faith alive was when the opening ceremony happened and the athletes started competing, the world suddenly remembered the magic and the spirit that the games had, and suddenly they remembered what was important and were inspired, and we’re really looking forward to that.”
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered on Saturday In Milan to protest the deployment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during the upcoming Winter Olympics, a group unbothered by the fact that the agents would be stationed in a control room and not operate on the streets.
Meanwhile, the latest collection of government files released on Epstein includes emails from 2003 of Casey WassermanGhislaine Maxwell, president of the Los Angeles Olympics organizing committee and Epstein’s one-time girlfriend.
“Based on all the information we have, I believe that the US authorities, as well as other authorities, have made all the necessary disclosures, so it is not our place to comment further on that part of security. But we are really looking forward to the games,” Coventry said when asked about the presence of ICE agents in Milan.
He was even less responsive when asked about Wasserman.
“We did not discuss this issue yesterday and I believe Mr. Wasserman has made his statement and we now have nothing more to add,” Coventry said.
Two IOC members are mentioned in the documents, although there is no suggestion they did anything wrong.
They are: Puerto Rican banker Richard Carrion, who came in second to former IOC president Thomas Bach in the 2013 election; and Johan Eliasch, president of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, one of Coventry’s rivals last March.
“I wasn’t in contact with Casey, the focus was entirely on Milan Cortina, there were a few things we focused on there,” said Coventry, who was elected 10 months ago and became the first female IOC president.
“In terms of IOC members, we are of course watching and monitoring the media and we are aware of a number of things that have been reported today and we need some time to investigate those and inform us.”
The upcoming Olympics will be held from February 6-22. US Vice President JD Vance Milan will lead an American delegation to the Cortina Games and attend Friday’s games opening ceremony.
