Now Reading: Standoff Over Wasserman Continues at LA28 Olympic Committee
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Standoff Over Wasserman Continues at LA28 Olympic Committee
Photo Credit: LA28 Olympic Committee
As the Los Angeles City Council overwhelmingly pushes to oust Casey Wasserman from the Olympic Committee, LA28 seems unbothered.
The Los Angeles City Council takes issue with Casey Wasserman’s continued role in charge of the upcoming LA28 Olympic Games, but the LA28 committee itself seems largely unbothered.
The Council voted last week to put on record that they had continuing concerns “regarding the potential conflict between the Olympic movement’s values and Casey Wasserman’s association with the Epstein files, and calls for a thorough and transparent review of his involvement in the ongoing investigations into these matters.” Notably, they lack the ability to actually fire Wasserman, but the vote essentially urges the LA28 Committee to take action.
“With the Board’s position on leadership established, LA28’s focus remains on delivering a fiscally responsible, privately funded Games that protects taxpayers and benefits Los Angeles,” said an LA28 spokesperson on Friday night after the Council’s 12-0 vote calling Wasserman’s position into question. “We are on track to deliver a successful Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2028.”
The resolution drafted by local politicians Imelda Padilla and Monica Rodriguez urges “the LA28 Organizing Committee, and the International Olympic Committee, to ensure that all leadership roles are held by individuals who consistently reflect the Olympic movement’s commitment to integrity, accountability, and respect for all people.”
The drama surrounding Wasserman stems from the massive document tranche released by the DOJ in January, which revealed his salacious email correspondence from 2003 with Jeffrey Epstein associate and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell. Wasserman issued a statement about his deep regret over the association and stepped down from the talent agency that bears his name.
But that’s not enough, as far as the LA City Council is concerned. Mayor Karen Bass also called for the LA28 chairman to resign and has been joined by numerous other local politicians in that sentiment. Ultimately, almost everyone except the LA28 board wants Wasserman out.
Meanwhile, the ink is still drying on NDAs as prospective buyers line up to consider purchasing “The Team,” the talent agency formerly known as Wasserman. Interested parties include WME, CAA, UTA, Range Media Partners, and Goldman Sachs.
