
In a spectacular Closing Ceremony, Paris handed over the Olympic flag to Los Angeles, the host of the 2028 Olympic Games. The LA28 Games are already benefiting their host communities, building on the legacy of Los Angeles 1984.
Making sport more accessible for young people
The Olympic Games Los Angeles 1984 created a lasting sports legacy for the city, keeping the local population active for decades. The LA84 Foundation, established with the surplus from the 1984 Games operations budget, has maintained this legacy by engaging local youth in sports. Between 1984 and 2017, the foundation reached over 3 million young people, with a strong focus on female participation, resulting in 42 percent of participants being girls and women.
The PlayLA program, funded by the IOC and the LA28 Organizing Committee and developed by the LA City Recreation and Parks Department, provides quality sports activities that are accessible and affordable for young people of all abilities, backgrounds, and ages. Since 2018, the program has supported more than 500,000 young people.
Witnessing firsts in gender equality
The Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1984 marked a significant milestone in Olympic history for female athletes’ participation, showcasing to the world that athletic excellence is not limited by gender. These Games introduced the inaugural Olympic women’s marathon, along with exclusively female disciplines like synchronized (now known as artistic) swimming and rhythmic gymnastics. Female athletes also competed for the first time in the 3000m and 400m hurdles, road cycling, and shooting. With 23 percent female participation, the 1984 Games set an Olympic record at the time.
Over the past four decades, progress toward gender equality in sport has accelerated both on and off the field. For Paris 2024, the IOC ensured gender equality by establishing an equal 50:50 quota for female and male athletes.
Venue Legacy
LA28 organizers are leveraging the flexibility provided by the IOC to design Games that align with the city’s character. In accordance with the IOC’s directive to prioritize existing and temporary infrastructure, LA28 has embraced a “radical reuse” strategy, ensuring no new permanent venues are constructed.
Out of the 26 venues used for Los Angeles 1984, 21 remain active, supporting a variety of sporting, cultural, and leisure events accessible to all athletes. Notably, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum remains a significant Olympic landmark, having hosted the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the 1932 and 1984 Games, as well as track and field events.
Other initiatives
The social, economic, and environmental legacies of the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games are extensive and varied. The Games introduced a financial model through sponsor partnerships that set a precedent for future editions. They also fostered a youth movement to educate young people on Olympic values and engage them in related activities, facilitated neighborhood engagement through volunteerism, and carried out clean-up projects throughout Los Angeles, including the planting of over 20,000 trees and bushes.
The introduction of this new financial model, which became a template for future Olympic Games, and the significant progress for women in sports, are two key legacies of Los Angeles 1984. This edition inspired a cultural shift for the Olympic Games that remains impactful decades later.