Could Trump's policies lead to a boycott of the Olympics?

Barcelona"Since I was 20, I've had to deal with tough men who have high-profile roles," said the new president of the International Olympic Committee a few days ago. Kirsty CoventryThe former Olympic swimmer, the first woman to hold this position when she takes over this July after win the elections a few weeks ago, has already understood that her first years in office will be determined by one name: Donald Trump. The next Summer Olympics are scheduled to take place in 2028 in Los Angeles with Trump in the White House, and some states are threatening a diplomatic boycott of the event if the US president continues his misbehavior. "Communication with Trump will be key," says Coventry.

The Zimbabwean athlete knows how to deal with men of difficult personalities, having been received for years by Robert Mugabe, the revolutionary who led the fight to end the racist state of Northern Rhodesia, only to end up as president from 1987 to 2017 amid accusations of corruption. Coventry's position was not easy, as she was part of the white minority. Mugabe thrived on having white athletes triumph by covering up accusations of murder and land theft from white farmers, for example. Coventry, a seven-time Olympic medalist, balanced the relationship between Mugabe and his successor, Emmerson Mnangagwa. Indeed, under Mnangagwa, she served as Minister of Sports and accepted land expropriated under Mugabe as a gift from the government. Coventry has been criticized for her relationship with the current president, who is accused of corruption and brutally repressing his opponents.

Coventry, then, has experience when it comes to negotiating with difficult politicians. "I've met these tough men, and what I've learned is that communication will be the key, so I want to talk to Trump as soon as possible," explained Coventry, who during the campaign to be IOC president demonstrated her mastery of the arts of high-level politics. Trump's obsession with trans athletes, as he doesn't want any competing in women's categories or in local tournaments, nor at the Games. Transgender athletes could compete with women, which was interpreted as an overture to Trump to avoid tensions ahead of the 2028 Games.

The Los Angeles fires

These Games have not gotten off to a good start. Following the terrible fires that destroyed neighborhoods and forests in the Los Angeles area, many people have even called for the Games not to be held there and for the IOC to find another venue, as could be read. in different letters from readers of Los Angeles Times. "We need to prioritize recovering from the fires. We already had a problem with house prices, and the Olympics aren't what we need," said one resident. "If we hold the Games, they'll be the Dictators' Games, since many politicians will boycott, but Putin will come," said another. In fact, one of Coventry's biggest challenges will be ensuring that they aren't politically boycotted; that is, that most states participate but decide not to send their leaders. Within the IOC, there's even concern that some state might decide to boycott the Games completely and not participate at all, as happened at the 1984 Games, the previous Games held in Los Angeles, where states like the USSR refused to attend in response to the US boycott of the Moscow Games in all four Games, and China. But sports boycotts haven't been practiced for years. Politicians, yes, as was the case at the Beijing Winter Olympics by the United States and the United Kingdom.

"I think he's the kind of person who wouldn't allow the Games to fail. He's interested in making them a success, and if necessary, when the Games get closer, he'll make exceptions to make sure everything goes smoothly," says Gene Sykes, president of the US Olympic Committee. Trump, in fact, defined the 2028 Games as "the most important event of all time," as they should serve to recover the city from the wildfires. "These are the United States Olympic Games. I will be supportive in every way possible to give them the best Games." But within the IOC, there is concern about possible boycotts and the impact on entry into the country. A proposed list of travel bans was published in early March, which could affect citizens of up to 43 countries. It should not affect athletes, but could apply to fans, executives, or journalists. Although Trump could modify his policies during the Games to encourage their success, the fear is that states like China could take advantage of his mania for success to harm him by boycotting him.

Tariff policies and other issues such as aspirations for Greenland or the treatment of immigrants have been complicating the sports agenda just one year before the 2026 World Cup, which will be held between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has a good relationship with Trump and, in fact, was one of the first to visit him in the Oval Office of the White House, where the president has a replica of the World Cup. There is a certain consensus that the World Cup will not be greatly affected, although there is fear about the possibility of denying entry to people who want to go to see matches for political reasons, since states like Iran have qualified. With the 2028 Games, there is more fear, especially if there are more cases of athletes. like that of boxer Imane Khelif, A woman who was wrongly accused of being trans. With Trump in power, no one knows how things will turn out. This will be Coventry's first big challenge.