US Olympic leaders in Milan set goals to be respectful guests and good team players

MILAN (AP) — Show respect. Be humble and a good Olympic partner. Keep Team USA athletes safe.

United States Olympic leaders set out goals Thursday for the Milan Cortina Winter Games that arrive during what they acknowledged is “a period of geopolitical turmoil.”

The days before the opening ceremony Friday saw street protests in Milan against a U.S. federal security plan involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, and organizers of the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games quizzed by African members of the IOC about the visa regime for entering the country.

“We can’t control headlines that are extraneous to the efforts that we have,” said Gene Sykes, an International Olympic Committee member who is president of the U.S. national Olympic body.

Sykes spoke at the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s eve-of-games news conference held as U.S. Vice President JD Vance met athletes after arriving in the city.

Vance is at an Olympics that will open in a much calmer atmosphere in Europe than seemed possible three weeks ago when the U.S. ignited international tension over its aim to acquire Greenland.

The U.S. Olympic delegation in Milan — including organizers of the 2034 Utah Winter Games — is on heightened diplomatic duty.

“We try to conduct ourselves with respect and humility when we’re dealing with the entire world because that’s the appropriate way to behave when we’re in the Olympic and Paralympic movement,” Sykes said.

“That message and that tone is something that we feel Team USA really needs to provide to the world.”

The USOPC’s head of security Nicole Deal said a “top priority is ensuring that Team USA athletes are safe, feel supported and have a really good games experience.”

Preparing for hostile crowds

Last month, the prospect of a U.S.-Denmark game in men’s ice hockey in Milan on Feb. 14 seemed problematic. Less so now.

“We don’t anticipate there to be a lot of negative energy on or around the field of play,” Sarah Hirshland, the USOPC chief executive, said Thursday about the welcome awaiting American athletes through Feb. 22.

Olympic spectators, she said, typically “have an incredible amount of respect and appreciation for what athletes have achieved.”

Still, team officials have worked to anticipate any scenario.

“We also want to be prepared and ensure that athletes feel supported in everything they do,” Hirshland said. “And we’ve done our job to make sure that’s happened.”

‘Unique’ U.S.

Sykes has a key role representing the U.S. in the so-called Olympic family. It includes the exclusive 100-plus members club that is the IOC, more than 200 national Olympic teams and sports governing bodies that span the globe.

He was not shy Thursday reminding the U.S. is unique and “very important to the future of the Olympic movement and the Paralympic movement. We are not just the most valuable commercial country.”

Investing in teams, preparing athletes and organizing events, Sykes said: “Nobody does it with the same intensity and commitment that the United States of America does.”

Entry to the U.S.

“The biggest thing people are asking about is: ‘Can we come to the US, will the visa system be OK?’” Sykes acknowledged about lingering concerns worldwide ahead of the LA Olympics, and the World Cup in men’s soccer the U.S. will cohost this year with Canada and Mexico.

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has promised visa exemptions for athletes and officials coming to major sports events, and a fast-track application system for others.

If soccer fans are key to the World Cup’s success, a crucial element for an Olympics is family and friends of athletes being able to attend. Their ease of entry to the U.S. is far from clear when dozens of countries face travel bans or restrictions.

“We are getting extraordinarily good support from the U.S. government,” Sykes insisted, “and we have got an excellent relationship with the administration.”

Wasserman’s status

The timing last weekend of the government releasing more documents relating to Jeffrey Epstein was far from ideal for the LA Olympics project.

LA organizing committee chair Casey Wasserman’s emails from 2003 with Epstein’s former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell prompted calls from some city politicians for him to step down.

Sykes defended Wasserman saying he had “more confidence today” in the LA Olympics leadership and work than any point since they first worked together in 2015.

“I live in LA myself, I understand the politics of LA quite well,” said the long-time Goldman Sachs banker, adding: “We spent a fair amount of time with the IOC on questions like this.”

Questioned Wednesday about Wasserman, IOC President Kirsty Coventry said she had nothing to add to his statement at the weekend.

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AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics