10 October 2023 , 13:18
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Cricket is set to feature at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028 after organisers officially recommended its inclusion.
The campaign for the sport to return to the Olympics has been going for some time and its success is expected to be confirmed at a meeting in Mumbai next week. The International Olympic Committee is keen to tap into the huge Indian market and a Twenty-20 tournament for both men and women is seen as the best way to do so.
The sport has been absent from the Olympics since the Paris Games in 1900, when Great Britain beat France in the only match. T20 cricket has been put forward to the IOC alongside flag football, squash, lacrosse and baseball/softball.
“We are delighted that LA28 have recommended cricket for inclusion in the Olympics,” International Cricket Council chairman Greg Barclay said. “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.”
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Cricket has come a long way since 1900, when Great Britain was represented by the Devon and Somerset Wanderers, who faced a French team made up mostly of British citizens living in Paris. The final, which was played over two days and saw 12 players on each side, was the only match after Belgium and the Netherlands withdrew their teams.
If, as expected, it does get the nod, there won’t be an English team at LA 2028, rather a Team GB. That would leave Ireland’s best players who were born in Northern Ireland with a decision to make between representing Ireland or Team GB.
Flag football is a non-contact five-a-side version of American football (Cassy Athena/Getty Images)Cricket is not the only winner for the LA Games. Flag football is a non-contact sport similar to American football which is played by teams of five players on a small pitch. The NFL lobbied hard for its inclusion and it will make its debut alongside squash.
Baseball/softball featured at Tokyo 2020, but the sport was left out of Paris 2024 alongside lacrosse. Surfing, sport climbing, karate and skateboarding were among the new inclusions in Japan.
LA28 chairperson Casey Wasserman said: “LA28's proposed sports ignite the imagination on the field of play and drive culture off it. They're relevant, innovative and community-based, played in backyards, schoolyards, community centres, stadiums and parks across the US and the globe.
“They will bring new athletes to the Games, engage diverse fanbases and expand the Games' presence in digital spaces, further amplifying LA28's mission to deliver an unparalleled experience.”