Cricket’s long-standing absence from the Olympics, spanning over a century,has inched closer to being rectified, as the International OlympicCommittee’s executive board, during their meeting in Mumbai, greenlit theinclusion of cricket at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
IOC president Thomas Bach revealed that LA organizers proposed theinclusion of Twenty20 cricket as one of five new sports, alongsidebaseball/softball, flag football, squash, and lacrosse.
However, the final decision on the 2028 program’s sports will be determinedthrough a vote at the upcoming IOC session in Mumbai. Bach expressedenthusiasm for the opportunity to engage with new athlete and fancommunities, recognizing the surging popularity of T20 cricket.
Los Angeles plans to host a six-team event in both men’s and women’s T20cricket, featuring the United States as the host nation, although detailssuch as the number of teams and their qualifications remain pending formalratification on Monday. Cricket’s last appearance at the Olympics datesback to the 1900 Paris Games.
Read Top Stories
The move to reintroduce cricket to the Olympics aligns with financialinterests, aiming to tap into the lucrative South Asian market,particularly in cricket-loving countries like India and Pakistan. T20cricket, the sport’s shortest international format, has been instrumentalin India’s ascendancy as an economic powerhouse in cricket, thanks to theIndian Premier League’s global appeal and substantial broadcasting deals.
Meanwhile, boxing’s status at the 2028 Games remains uncertain due to adispute over the sport’s governance, leading to the IOC’s decision to stripthe International Boxing Association of its recognition. Bach emphasizedthe IOC’s desire to keep boxing in the program but expressed concernsregarding the governing body’s issues.