IOC Officials Say LA28 Passes Its Midterm Exams

Déjà Vu All Over Again

For a city that successfully hosted the Olympics in 1932 and again in 1984, the stakes are high. The 2028 Games will be the largest sporting event ever staged in the United States and will arrive during a period of unprecedented growth for Olympic and Paralympic sport with 15,000 athletes expected. When asked to assess LA28’s progress compared to previous host cities, IOC Vice President and LA28 Coordination Commission Chair Nicole Hoevertsz did not hesitate:

“I can with every confidence say that this was the best Coordination Commission Meeting ever,” Hoevertsz said.

Her comments followed my question comparing the current stage of preparation to a student’s midterm examination, with the final test coming when the Olympic flame is lit in July 2028. The answer was emphatic.

Confidence Growing Inside The IOC

For Hoevertsz, who has now participated in seven official coordination meetings in Los Angeles, the difference has been noticeable. Each visit, she said, has revealed measurable progress and increasing organizational maturity.

“The team is ready. The Games are on track, and the Games are in the safe hands of a very qualified and very capable team,” she told reporters.

Much of that confidence stems from the leadership team assembled by LA28 Chairman Casey Wasserman and Chief Executive Officer Reynold Hoover. Hoevertsz described the workforce as “young, dynamic, passionate, knowledgeable, and trained people who know what they’re doing.”

The praise is particularly significant because the IOC Coordination Commission serves as the organization’s primary oversight body for Olympic planning. Its role is to identify risks, monitor progress, and ensure every aspect of Games delivery remains on schedule. When the commission expresses confidence publicly, it carries considerable weight within the Olympic movement.

A Different Kind Of Olympic Preparation

One factor separating Los Angeles from previous host cities is time. Unlike many recent Olympic hosts that faced compressed planning timelines, LA28 has benefited from a longer preparation runway. That extended timeline has allowed organizers to move beyond conceptual planning and into operational detail earlier than usual. IOC Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi emphasized that point.

“Nothing like it before at this level two years out where we are today,” Dubi said.

The veteran Olympic executive has worked on numerous Games cycles and has observed preparations in cities around the world. Yet he suggested that LA28 has reached a level of readiness rarely seen this far in advance. Among the indicators cited were fundraising success, volunteer recruitment, and planning precision.

According to Dubi, organizers have already raised more revenue than previous organizing committees had achieved at comparable stages and have engaged what could become the largest volunteer pool in Olympic history. For an event expected to rely on tens of thousands of volunteers, that early momentum matters.

The Advantage Of Los Angeles

The IOC’s confidence extends beyond the organizing committee itself. Los Angeles offers unique advantages that few Olympic cities can match.

Unlike hosts that must build extensive new infrastructure, LA28 will utilize an existing network of world-class venues spread across Southern California. Many facilities already host professional sports franchises, major entertainment events, and international competitions. Dubi highlighted the strength of the local market as a critical asset.

“When you organize an event like this one, you have the best operators, you have the best venues, and you have the most creative industry around,” he said.

That creative industry may ultimately become one of LA28’s defining characteristics. Los Angeles sits at the center of the global entertainment business, giving organizers access to storytelling, production, and fan-engagement capabilities unlike those available in most Olympic host cities.

Paris dazzled audiences in 2024 with iconic backdrops and historic landmarks. Los Angeles appears poised to offer something different: a fusion of sport, entertainment, technology, and fan experience on a scale never previously attempted.

From Plenary Sessions To Working Groups

Another sign of organizational evolution can be found in how the coordination meetings themselves are conducted. Hoevertsz noted that the IOC and LA28 recently transitioned from traditional plenary-style meetings toward specialized working groups.

During the latest coordination commission gathering, seven separate groups focused on specific operational areas requiring attention. The change reflects the increasing complexity of Olympic planning as preparations move closer to execution. Instead of broad presentations, experts now spend more time solving detailed challenges involving transportation, security, venue operations, technology, sustainability, athlete services, and fan experience. For Olympic organizers, this is the stage where vision begins transforming into reality.

The long days of meetings described by Hoevertsz suggest that planning is advancing from strategic concepts into detailed operational execution.

The Road To 2028

While much work remains, the message delivered by IOC leadership was unmistakable. Two years before the Games, officials see a project that is not merely on schedule but potentially setting new benchmarks for Olympic preparation.

That assessment matters because recent Olympic hosts have often faced significant challenges in the final years before opening ceremonies. Budget pressures, construction delays, political concerns, and logistical hurdles have become common features of modern Olympic planning.

Remember Milano-Cortina just months ago and the Ice Hockey Arena? It faced severe last-second construction delays that nearly jeopardized the NHL’s participation. The arena went down to the wire, with missing seats, unfinished amenities (like running water in bathrooms), and a small ice delay before ultimately hosting the games.

Los Angeles appears to be following a different trajectory.

The combination of existing infrastructure, strong commercial support, experienced leadership, and a favorable planning timeline has created conditions that IOC officials believe are exceptional. Two years from now, Los Angeles will face its final examination when athletes from around the world march into the Opening Ceremony and the eyes of billions turn toward Southern California.

If the IOC’s assessment is accurate, LA28 has already earned high marks on its “midterm exams”, and that bodes well for the “final.”