Lausanne. The chances of cricket’s much-awaited return to the Olympic Games have increased as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has put it under review along with nine other sports for inclusion in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, USA. Cricket has got a place in the Olympic Games only once. Cricket was included in the games played in Paris in 1900. Then only Britain and host France participated in it.
According to ESPNcricinfo, the decision to include cricket in the review sports came a day after the Los Angeles Games Organizing Committee and the IOC invited the International Cricket Council (ICC) to make their presentation. A final decision on this, however, is likely to be taken before the 2023 IOC session in Mumbai.
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Other sports that have been placed on the review list include baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse, break dancing, karate, kickboxing, squash and motorsport. The IOC said earlier this year that a total of 28 sports would be included in the 2028 Olympics. Along with this, he said that considering the addition of potential new sports, focusing on the youth, will also be considered.
According to the IOC, for a sport to be included in the Olympics, it must meet certain criteria. These include reducing cost and complexity, putting sports first in availability of the best players with safety and health, global appeal, interest of the host country, gender equality, youth relevance, long term sustainability etc.
Cricket has been included in the current Commonwealth Games but only women cricketers are participating in it. In this eight countries are playing in T20 format. But it is necessary to have both men and women in the sports included in the Olympic Games. ICC CEO Geoff Allardyce said he was pleased with the way cricket continues to be a special attraction at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
Allardyce said, “We have seen at the Commonwealth Games how the best players in the world are enjoying playing in front of a large number of spectators and I am sure there will be a lot of viewers watching on TV as well.”
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Tags: Cricket, ICC, Mission Olympics, Olympics, Olympics 2028
FIRST PUBLISHED : August 04, 2022, 12:46 IST
