Sept. 25--REPORTING FROM COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Two months after Boston dropped out of the running to host the 2024 Summer Games, top U.S. Olympic executives offered their apology for backing what they now characterize as a "risky" bid.
Their mea culpa came on the first day of a U.S. Olympic Committee assembly in Colorado Springs, an event attended by sports officials from throughout the country.
"I don't want to dwell on the negatives of Boston, and I will not offer any excuses for what happened," USOC Chief Executive Scott Blackmun told the audience. "But I do think you are entitled to an explanation."
The USOC selected Boston as the sole American bidder in a competition with Los Angeles and other cities last winter. Blackmun said he knew the city's bid faced significant public opposition from the start.
USOC leaders said they were assured by Boston politicians that support would grow.
"The question is, should we have taken the risk?" Blackmun said. "In hindsight, the answer is no."
After Boston withdrew, Los Angeles was named as a last-minute replacement. Thursday's session offered a chance for Casey Wasserman, chairman of the LA 2024 bid committee, to meet the officials whose support he will need over the next two years.
"As we know, Olympic bids are all about timing," USOC Chairman Larry Probst said. "And LA 2024 arrives on the scene with a set of assets and a deeply ingrained Olympic culture."
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