Reporting from Lima Convention Center in Peru – International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach alongside Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski opened the IOC Session in Lima Tuesday evening.
Attending the red carpet event at Lima’s Gran Teatro Nacional del Perú were 85 IOC members along with delegations from the Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games bids and other dignitaries who heard speeches and were entertained with cultural performances.
In his opening remarks, President Bach spoke on crucial issues being faced by the IOC in recent weeks including corruption, doping, the role and success of Agenda 2020 and the North Korea threat to the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games.
He spoke, if only briefly, about the historic double-allocation of the Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games that he orchestrated.
Bach summed up his message by proclaiming “the Olympic Games are an anchor of stability,” in these troubled times.
On the red carpet leading up to the ceremony, the LA 2028 bid team who are expected get their bid rubber-stamped to host the Games during Wednesday’s Session seemed relaxed but excited with anticipation.
Bid Chair Casey Wasserman said on his way into the theatre “I’m more excited, more nervous and I think tomorrow afternoon more relieved.”
“It’s like Christmas eve, we’re excited to go open the presents tomorrow and then get off and enjoy them for the next 11 years.”
Vice Chair Janet Evans said “I have practiced my lines [for Wednesday’s presentation], we’re not totally nervous because we kind of know what the results are going to be. I think it’s more of a presentation to tell everyone about what we want and hope for the Olympic and Paralympic Games when they come to our city.”
Earlier in the day French basketball Olympic medalist Emmeline Ndongue told GamesBids.com she was anxious about Wednesday even though the results are already known, she said “I’m excited, I’m really, really excited.”
“Really, it’s exciting, we have been waiting for Lima for about two years, we work like crazy, we promote this bid and all the projects.”
“We believe in it, it’s just we are waiting for the signature and – yeah, we’re excited, really. It’s going to be a huge moment.”
In Los Angeles on Tuesday and Wednesday nights iconic Los Angeles landmarks and buildings across the city will light up to support LA 2028, including venues in past U.S. Olympic cities Lake Placid, Squaw Valley and St. Louis.
As they did when the IOC Evaluation Commission visited Los Angeles in May, venues such as Griffith Observatory, the Hollywood Bowl, and the US Bank Tower will be illuminated in the colors of LA’s sunsets and the LA 2028 logo.
In Paris, celebrations outside the City Hall will commence shortly after the official signing of the Host City Contract.
The IOC Session will continue until Saturday and cover several issues that Bach touched on in his remarks.
