Cricket confirmed to be part of 2028 Los Angeles Olympics
Cricket's inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics has been confirmed. The official confirmation came on Monday (October 16). Last week, the gentlemen's game received approval at the 141st International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session, which took place in Mumbai. The LA Local Organising Committee (LOCOG) had recommended cricket's T20 version and four other sports in its proposal to the IOC. Here are further details.
Cricket to return to Olympics after more than 120 years
Cricket has been played just once in the Olympics before, way back in 1900. The only match of the tournament was played between Great Britain and France. It was a two-day affair as Great Britain won by 158 runs. With the game's growing popularity, IOC seems keen to tap the market in India and Asia overall.
IOC confirms the development!
Campriani welcomes cricket to Olympics
"We are thrilled to welcome the world's second-most popular sport with an estimated 2.5 billion fans worldwide," Niccolo Campriani, director of LA LOCOG, said. "Some of you might be wondering why in LA? Well, the commitment to grow cricket in the US is real, and it's already happening with the launch of the very first Major League Cricket season earlier this year."
The increase of IOC's focus in India
For the first time since 1983, IOC has hosted its session in India. This highlights the Olympic body's increasing focus on the Indian market. IOC president Thomas Bach, a former Olympic gold medalist in foil fencing, has positively spoken about cricket's inclusion in Olympics. He recently reiterated his vision for the Olympics to be "younger, more inclusive, more urban and more sustainable".
The expansion of cricket
Cricket has indeed expanded in the past few years with several associate teams making a mark. Moreover, the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 is scheduled to take place in West Indies and the USA, highlighting that the cricket body is keen to tap the cricket market it the USA. With the 2032 Olympics in Australia, cricket could see a more sustainable stint at Olympics.
How many teams will take part?
As per ESPNcricinfo, the ICC recommended a six-team T20 event for both men and women during its presentation in front of LA28. The participating teams would be the top-six ranked sides in the ICC's men's and women's T20 rankings on a certain cut-off date. It could not be confirmed if the ICC had finalised a tournament format, which until recently was still under discussions.
What are the other added sports?
Besides cricket, baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse, and squash are the other four additional sports which will be a part of the Olympics. Casey Wasserman, LA28's chairperson, said that all the five sports recommended were "relevant, innovative and community-based." "LA28's proposed sports ignite the imagination on the field of play and drive culture off," he said.
