Sports
Cricket Recommended for Inclusion in Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, Significant Step for the Sport
Cricket is recommended for inclusion in the 2028 Olympics by the organizers of the Los Angeles Games. CricketWest Indies and the ICC express enthusiasm and await final approval from the IOC.
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Originally published by www.nationnews.com (opens in new tab)
For the first time since 1900, cricket could return to the Olympic Games. The organisers of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games recommended the T20 format of the sport be included in the marquee global event.
President of Cricket West Indies, Dr Kishore Shallow welcomed the news, believing it to be pivotal in growing the sport.
“The Los Angeles 2028 Olympics’ recommendation for cricket inclusion at the Games is a monumental step that could see more significant opportunities for cricket and the Caribbean Community,” Shallow said.
“I share my International Cricket Council (ICC) colleagues’ enthusiasm about this progress and commend all stakeholders for advancing this ambition.”
ICC is also ecstatic about this decision, having participated in a two-year process in which they worked closely with LA28 so that the list of sports to be added included cricket. That list will now be put forward for approval to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Greg Barclay, ICC Chairman, said: “We are delighted that LA28 have recommended cricket for inclusion in the Olympics. Whilst this is not the final decision, it is a very significant landmark towards seeing cricket at the Olympics for the first time in more than a century. I’d like to thank LA28 for their support during the new sport evaluation process over the last two years and we look forward to the final decision being taken at the IOC Session, in India, during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup next week.”
The other sports expected to be included in the LA28 Games are flag football, lacrosse, squash and baseball/softball with LA28 CEO Kathy Carter saying “in building the Olympic sport programme, we were willing to challenge the status quo and think differently about what is possible for the Games in Los Angeles”.
Cricket’s last appearance in a multi-sport Games came during the 2022 Commonwealth Games at Edgbaston in Birmingham, England where Barbados took part in the eight-team Women’s T20 tournament. They finished fifth above World Cup regulars in South Africa Women, Pakistan Women and Sri Lanka Women.
At the 1998 Commonwealth Games, Barbados men competed in a 50-over format and finished sixth, preceded by ICC nations South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. (JC)
