IOC accepts Cricket’s inclusion for Los Angeles Olympics 2028

After a long time of discussions, Cricket has been included in the Los Angeles Olympics 2028. The game has been included in the event for the first time since 1900. In that event, Great Britain (England) and France played a two-day Test match. After this, the game wasn’t included in the event. Meanwhile, the International Olympic Association (IOA) has accepted the recommendation to include the sport.

“These proposals have been accepted as a package by the IOC executive board taking into consideration that these proposals and these sports are fully in line with the sports culture of our host in ’28, with the American sports culture,” IOC president Thomas Bach said. “All these proposals will now go to the IOC Session here in Mumbai for a vote.

“These sports will showcase iconic American sports to the world while bringing at the same time international sports to the United States. The inclusion will, on the other hand, allow the Olympics to engage with new athletes and fan communities in the US and globally.”

Including Cricket in the Los Angeles Olympics, 2028 is a win-win: Thomas Bach

Talking about the sport, the Men’s and Women’s T20 cricket feature in the event with six teams playing for the Gold Medal.

“This is a win-win situation,” he said. “The Olympic Games will give cricket a global stage and the opportunity to grow beyond the traditional cricket countries and regions. And for the Olympic movement, it’s an opportunity to engage with the fans and athletes community, to which so far we have very little or no access. And we see this move also very much reflected here in how one can enrich the other: we see it in India where you see the growing Olympic spirit, where you see a number of Olympic sports gaining strength and becoming popular. And cricket still being the No. 1 sport and the most popular sport.”