Olympics Chief Defies Calls to Resign Over Maxwell Ties

Casey Wasserman stated on Thursday that he will not step down as head of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics organizing team. This decision comes after calls for his resignation due to past correspondence with Ghislaine Maxwell. Files released by the U.S. Justice Department in January revealed email exchanges from 2003 between Wasserman and Maxwell, who is a convicted sex trafficker and former associate of Jeffrey Epstein.

Wasserman confirmed he has spoken with LA Mayor Karen Bass, who had publicly urged him to resign in February. He described their ongoing conversations as productive and aligned on delivering successful games. Wasserman's remarks were made during a press conference following meetings with the IOC Coordination Commission, marking his first public comments on the matter since January.

Organizers of the LA28 Games conducted a review of Wasserman's past interactions with Maxwell. They concluded that his relationship did not extend beyond publicly documented exchanges and affirmed his continued leadership. Wasserman has previously stated he never had a personal or business relationship with Epstein.