Olympic Games committee announce five new sports will be included at LA 2028

16 October 2023 , 15:09

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Five sports have been added to the 2028 Olympics (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Cricket is one of five sports that have been added to the Olympics ahead of the 2028 games in Los Angeles.

The sports were recommended for inclusion earlier this month and have now been officially added after a vote at the International Olympic Committee Session in Mumbai on Monday. Only two delegates voted against the proposal, which also included baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse and squash.

Cricket last featured at the Olympics in 1900, when Britain beat France in the only game following the withdrawal of sides from Belgium and the Netherlands and, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) keen to tap into the Indian market, six-team men's and women's T20 tournaments will take place.

"We are ready to welcome the world's best players of cricket to perform in the United States in 2028, while showcasing iconic American sports to the world," IOC president Thomas Bach said. "We see the growing popularity of cricket, particularly the T20 format.

"The Olympic Games will give cricket a global stage and the opportunity to grow beyond the traditional cricket countries and region. For the Olympic Movement, it's the opportunity to engage with fan and athlete communities to which so far we have very little or even no access."

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ICC chairman Greg Barclay added: "To have the opportunity to showcase our great sport at the LA28 Games and hopefully many Olympic Games to come will be great for players and fans alike. I'd like to thank the International Olympic Committee and LA28 for their support and for their trust in our organisation's ability to deliver a world-class event and countless new Olympic fans from all over the world.

"The fact that the IOC confirmation of our selection occurred here in Mumbai, during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, is truly icing on the cake. The innings has just begun, and we can't wait to see where this incredible journey leads."

Six-team men's and women's T20 cricket tournaments have been added to the Olympics (Hamish Blair/REX/Shutterstock)

ECB CEO Richard Gould also hailed cricket's inclusion, stating: "It's fantastic that cricket will be included in the Olympics in 2028, putting it on one of the world's biggest sporting stages. This is a great opportunity to take cricket to new parts of the world, and to allow more people to develop a love for our sport.

"In particular I'm delighted that the Games will feature both men's and women's cricket, and have no doubt that featuring in the Olympics will accelerate the continuing and rapid growth of the women's game."

Squash and flag football will feature at the Olympics for the first time while baseball/softball was played at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after a 12-year absence. Lacrosse, meanwhile, last featured as a medal event in 1908.

Matthew Cooper