By Karolos Grohmann
MILAN, Feb 1 (Reuters) – Los Angeles 2028 Olympics chief Casey Wasserman has apologised for communicating with convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell more than 20 years ago, after the publication of a series of personal emails between the two.
New files related to late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Maxwell’s former boyfriend, published by the U.S. justice department on Friday, included flirtatious email exchanges between Wasserman, who was married at the time, and Maxwell dating from 2003.
Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence after being found guilty in 2021 by a jury in New York on charges including sex trafficking of a minor. Epstein died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial.
“I never had a personal or business relationship with Jeffrey Epstein,” Wasserman said in a statement on Sunday.
“I am terribly sorry for having any association with either of them.”
Maxwell was arrested in 2020 after being accused by federal prosecutors of recruiting and grooming girls for sexual encounters with Epstein between 1994 and 2004.
“I deeply regret my correspondence with Ghislaine Maxwell,” said Wasserman, adding that it took place before her and Epstein’s crimes “came to light”.
The International Olympic Committee, which works very closely with Wasserman for the preparation of the LA 2028, refused to comment on the matter.
“I believe Mr Wasserman has put out his statement and we have nothing further to add,” IOC President Kirsty Coventry said in a press conference before the start of next week’s Milano-Cortina Olympics.
Asked whether the Wasserman emails were a distraction shortly before the Milano Games, Coventry said there had been past Olympics which were dogged by stories prior to their start, such as the Zika virus before the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics.
“Anything that is distracting from these Games is sad,” Coventry said.
“But we have learned over the many years… there has always been something that has taken the lead, leading up to the Games. What is keeping my faith alive is when the opening ceremony happens … suddenly the world remembers the magic and spirit the Games have,” she said.
Wasserman is a sports and entertainment executive who has been leading the LA28 Olympic project from the bidding phase and currently serves as chairman of the organising committee, which is due to deliver a progress report to the IOC session on Tuesday.
The 2028 Summer Olympics were awarded to the city in 2017.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, editing by Nick Mulvenney and Alexandra Hudson)
