With the voting of International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Monday, the T20 format of cricket has now been officially included in the programme for Los Angeles Olympics 2028 including the men’s and women’s competitions along with four others in the rosters for LA games. This special announcement is auspicious for one of it’s own kind as being declared during the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023. The ICC World Cup 2023 that is hosted by India and has already made it to the 141st IOC Session in Mumbai which is marking the return of the prestigious gathering to India after a gap of 40 years.
The International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Executive Board approved the Los Angeles Games organisers’ to include the sport in the programme last week. Apart from cricket, which will be contested in T20 format between men’s and women’s teams, four other sports were approved on Monday: baseball-softball, flag football, lacrosse (sixes), and squash.
Last week, IOC President Thomas Bach stated that the inclusion of cricket and four other sports — only for the Los Angeles Games 2028 — was in conformity with American sports culture and would also allow the Olympic movement to engage with new athletes and fan communities in the United States and around the world.
“We are witnessing an increase in the popularity of cricket, particularly the T20 format.” “The World Cup (50 overs) is already a huge success,” Bach stated following the conclusion of the two-day Executive Board meeting on October 13.
Cricket’s shortest version, along with baseball-softball, lacrosse (sixes), squash, and flag football, are the only five sports authorized for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. For the first time since 1900, cricket will be included in the Olympics.
The Los Angeles Games organizing committee declared a six-team event in both men’s and women’s T20 cricket, with the US fielding teams as the host nation. Final choices on the number of teams and the qualification system, however, will be made later.
“We will collaborate with the ICC, as we do with all sports.” “We are not working with different national franchises here; we are working with respective international federations and are looking forward to receiving their ideas (on) how to use this inclusion in the Olympic programme to make cricket even more popular around the world,” IOC president Bach added.