Olympics-LA28 CEO voices strong support for embattled chair Wasserman

By Rory Carroll

Feb 23 (Reuters) - Los Angeles 2028 CEO Reynold Hoover on Monday gave his full backing to Chair Casey Wasserman, telling Reuters his support remains unwavering despite increased scrutiny following the most recent release of U.S. Justice Department files related to Jeffrey Epstein.

The comments were Hoover's first on the matter since Wasserman's name appeared in the documents published late last month, and his first since the mayor of Los Angeles called on him to step down. The documents featured flirty email exchanges from more than two decades ago between Wasserman and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, a close Epstein associate.

"The board has taken their position - they support him and I support him," said Hoover, a retired three-star U.S. Army lieutenant general, speaking a day after the close of the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

Earlier this month, the LA28 board reaffirmed its support for Wasserman following a review by outside counsel, which concluded his past association with Maxwell and the late convicted sex offender Epstein did not go beyond what had already been publicly documented.

Hoover pointed to the organization's commercial performance - including record domestic sponsorship revenue and strong early ticket interest - as evidence of stability under its current leadership.

"We've got a great leadership team here at LA28," he said. "Just look at the results."

NO SPONSOR CONCERNS OVER WASSERMAN

Those results include the privately funded Games having exceeded $2 billion in commercial sponsorship revenue, Hoover said, bringing LA28 80% of the way toward its overall goal of $2.5 billion with more than two years still to go until the opening ceremony.

The public has shown strong interest in volunteering at the Games, he added.

"We've exceeded all expectations, we've broken all Olympic records by any measure," Hoover said. "If that doesn't give people confidence, I don't know what will."

Despite the controversy around Wasserman, Hoover said there has been no talk about finding a replacement, no disruption to day-to-day business, and no concerns voiced by sponsors or potential sponsors.

"I was at a meeting in Dallas with a potential sponsor - hopefully we'll get them signed up - and it wasn't even raised," he said, adding that LA28 will soon announce another top-level sponsor to join a list that includes Delta Air Lines DAL.N, Honda 7267.T, Google GOOGL.O, Starbucks SBUX.O, Comcast CMCSA.O, Intuit INTU.O and management-consulting firm Korn Ferry KFY.N.

"No one is asking about it."

Those sponsors did not immediately respond to requests for comment on whether they continue to support Wasserman.

HOOVER URGES FOCUS ON 2028 OLYMPICS

Hoover, who joined LA28 nearly two years ago, said he has a "great, very close" relationship with L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and said he was "a little surprised" when she said last week that Wasserman should step down as chair.

"Look, that's her opinion. But she also said that the LA28 board has taken a position and is supporting Casey, so there's nothing more to really be said on it," he said.

Hoover's remarks are the first by an LA28 official since Wasserman put out a statement late last month saying he regretted his correspondence with Maxwell, which he said took place "long before her horrific crimes came to light."

Wasserman said he never had a personal or business relationship with Epstein.

Los Angeles City Council member Monica Rodriguez has criticized the LA28 board for backing Wasserman and recently introduced a resolution in City Hall "reaffirming Los Angeles' commitment to the core values of the Olympic movement, including excellence, respect and integrity in leadership."

The offices of Bass and Rodriguez did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Hoover's new remarks supporting Wasserman.

Wasserman, 51, has spent more than a decade working to bring the Games back to Southern California, and Hoover said they are focused on delivering what he said will be the largest and greatest Summer Games in history.

"This is going to be an incredible, incredible Games and people need to start focusing on that aspect of it, and let's move on," Hoover said.

(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Rome; Editing by Frank Pingue and Ethan Smith)

((Rory.Carroll@thomsonreuters.com; 503-830-8017;))