Biden apologizes after administration fails to greet Olympic officials

Vice President Biden is apologizing to Olympic officials after the Obama administration failed to send anyone to welcome them to Washington, D.C. earlier this week.

Biden told the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) he was sorry during a meeting with the group on Friday, according to Reuters.

{mosads}“My very good friend Mayor [Eric] Garcetti [D] of Los Angeles was having breakfast with me the other morning and said, ‘You know, I think there has been an oversight — no one from the administration has been here to welcome this distinguished delegation of leaders from around the world,” he told assembled ANOC representatives.

“He is right — it was an oversight and for that I apologize,” Biden added. “I am a poor substitute [for President Obama], but I am delighted to be here.”

Olympic officials arrived in Washington three days earlier before hosting the group’s general assembly and a gala awards ceremony on Thursday.

ANOC represents 206 national Olympic bodies worldwide, Reuters reports, and the nation hosting its general assembly traditionally has a top government official address its opening session.

America has not personally hosted such a conference since 1994, the news publication added.

Biden was introduced by ANOC President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah Friday morning, Reuters reported.

The vice president’s apology comes as Los Angeles is bidding for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

L.A. is competing with Budapest, Hamburg, Paris and Rome for the honor of hosting the global athletic competition.

The City of Angels has hosted the event twice before, first in 1932 and then again in 1984. Los Angeles became the official U.S. bidder after Boston, which was originally tabbed, withdrew its bid.

President Obama personally lobbied Olympic officials to award the 2016 games to Chicago, his hometown, early in his presidency, but was rebuffed. Olympic organizers awarded those games to Rio de Janeiro.

Biden last week officially ruled out running for the 2016 presidential race after months of speculation, concluding that it was too late for him to mount a proper run.