The organizers of the Games have suggested this activity as well as flag football, baseball, squash, and lacrosse. The Los Angeles organizing committee suggested cricket in its T20 format as well as four other sports for the 2028 Games in its submission to the IOC, it was revealed on Monday.
The same was affirmed by the International Cricket Council (ICC), since the only thing left to do is receive the official seal of approval during the 141st International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session, which is slated to take place in Mumbai on October 15–16.
The only thing left to do is receive the official seal of approval during the 141st International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session, which is slated to take place in Mumbai on October 15–16.
The Los Angeles organizing committee suggested cricket in its T20 format as well as four other sports for the 2028 Games in its submission to the IOC, it was revealed on Monday. The same was affirmed by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
“We are thrilled that LA28 has suggested cricket be added to the Olympics. Although this is not the final decision, it is a major step toward the return of cricket to the Olympics after more than a century, according to ICC chairman Greg Barclay.
Baseball/softball, squash, lacrosse, and flag football, an American football subgenre, are additional suggested sports. The National Football League (NFL) is based in the United States.
The endorsement of cricket by the LA organizing committee was significant and the result of a two-year process with cricket’s international governing organization. Currently, it is being “reviewed and put forward by the IOC Executive Board for ratification” during the Mumbai IOC Session.
Cricket was only ever played at the Olympics once, in 1900 in Paris, where two teams competed. This decision puts an end to months of doubt about the sport’s comeback and allows the IOC to capitalize on the enormous market that the sport enjoys, particularly in India and throughout Asia.
The IOC’s decision to hold its meeting in New Delhi for the first time since 1983 is another indication of the country’s growing importance to the Olympic body.
The day after seeing an Indian Super League (ISL) game, IOC President Thomas Bach, who is now in Mumbai, participated in a game of cricket with children at an event in Navi Mumbai.
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The German, who won an Olympic gold medal in foil fencing in the past, has already expressed support for cricket’s potential Olympic participation. He reaffirmed his goal for the Olympics to be “younger, more inclusive, more urban and more sustainable” during the European Olympic Committees meeting a few days ago.
India may be able to expand on recent success with the addition of cricket, particularly in terms of gold medal total. In the Olympics, India took home 10 gold medals, eight of which were in the sport of hockey.
With the Brisbane, Australia, Olympics in 2032, cricket might have a longer run at the Games. Breaking (breakdancing), for example, wasn’t included in the LA organizing committee’s proposal but was included to the 2024 Paris Games.
Cricket is becoming more and more popular in the USA, another huge athletic market that the ICC and IOC are anxious to capitalize on.
The West Indies and the USA will co-host the ICC T20 World Cup in 2019. The new sports being proposed are “relevant, innovative, and community-based, played in backyards, schoolyards, community centers, stadiums, and parks across the U.S. and the globe,” according to Casey Wasserman, chair of the LA organizing group.
“They will bring new athletes to the Games, engage diverse fanbases and expand the Games’ presence in digital spaces, further amplifying LA28’s mission to deliver an unparalleled experience,” Wasserman added.
