Cricket will take part in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 thanks to official approval from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This eagerly awaited choice was made on Monday in Mumbai during the IOC session. Both men’s and women’s teams will participate in the Twenty20 format of cricket in Los Angeles. In the beginning, ICC will only field six teams from each LA28 division.
Baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse, squash, and other sports have also been formally added to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028, in addition to cricket.
Nita Ambani, an IOC member, gave her approval of the choice. “The addition of cricket in the sports programme for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics Games was a welcome addition that had the potential to attract a lot of new across more recent global geographies, interest in and potential for the Olympics movement have increased.
The owner of the Mumbai Indians franchise in the IPL declared, “I am happy that IOC members have agreed to include Cricket as an Olympic Sport in the LA Summer Olympics 2028! I am an IOC member, a proud Indian, and an avid cricket fan.
Only two teams competed in cricket in the only previous Olympics, which took place in 1900. India is hosting the IOC session for the first time in 40 years, making it the country’s second-ever IOC session. “I’m pleased that this historical decision has been adopted at the 141st IOC Convention taking place right here in India in Mumbai,” Mukesh stated.
The achievement of an Olympic goal has recently become a reality for many sportsmen all around the world. According to Janet Evan Evans, LA28 Head Athlete Officer, players will be motivated by this extraordinary journey over the following five years as they have the opportunity to represent their chosen discipline and country on the largest platform in the world. “Taking part in the Olympics is an experience like any other, and every person who pursues it will end up being an important thread within the common story of the LA28 Olympics.”
The inclusion of cricket in the Olympic Games has been a priority for our organization, and we’re thrilled to have the chance to highlight our fantastic sport and athletes at the LA28 Games and hopefully many future Olympic Games, said Greg Barclay, Chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC).
I’d want to express my gratitude to LA28 to the International Olympics Committee for their assistance and belief in the organization’s capacity to host a world-class event and attract a large number of new Olympic fans from all around the world, as well as for their belief in our capacity to create a world-class event. The icing on the cake is that the IOC confirmed our selection right here in Mumbai, during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
Involvement of BCCI in the procedure
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was crucial to the procedure. The ICC Olympics Working Group, which was comprised of the organization’s Secretary Jay Shah, was instrumental in ensuring cricket’s inclusion in the Olympics. Shah has been an outspoken supporter of cricket’s inclusion in a variety of multi-sport competitions, particularly the recent Asian Games in China and the Commonwealth Games, when India won gold medals in both the men’s and women’s divisions.
We are honored to be present for this historic event, which represents an important turning point for the sport. Our active involvement has been crucial in advancing the argument for cricket’s inclusion in the Olympic Games. This endeavor fits with our Hon’ble Prime Minister’s ambition for India to host the 2036 Olympics, Shah remarked.