Cricket among 5 sports included in Los Angeles 2028 Olympics programme
Mumbai: The long awaited and much anticipated inclusion of cricket (T20) in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 became a reality here on Monday. The International Olympic Committee (IOC), during its 141st session, also approved inclusion of flag football, lacrosse, baseball/softball and squash in the LA programme after a vote.
Hype was huge over cricket being included and the face of it was none other than former India captain Virat Kohli. His popularity in all ways, including social media, was taken into account by the IOC high priests. His presence as an icon was far ahead of leading athletes in sport like NFL and basketball.
Many happy faces could be seen at the IOC sessions venue after cricket got the nod, thanks to its gaining popularity. After the success of cricket through its inclusion in the Commonwealth Games last year in Birmingham and then the Asian Games in Hangzhou very recently, the 2028 Olympics was a challenge.
The grouse was, in the past, cricket is not popular the world over. However, that philosophy has been changing as T20 cricket has made deep inroads into even European countries. With Netherlands featuring in the ICC World Cup now in progress in India, cricket is big.
Reacting to the inclusion of cricket, the BCCI and the world body, the ICC expressed happiness. There were heavy parleys between the ICC and the IOC in months leading up to the IOC session in Mumbai. Los Angeles wants to keep a tight cap on budget costs, yet cricket got the nod.
It is well known, in recent times, Indian players have spoken on the importance of cricketers winning medals. The Asian Games was proof of how happy the men and women were after clinching gold in Hangzhou.
The last time cricket was played in the Olympics was 128 years ago. Over these years, the game has undergone a massive change. From red ball to white ball cricket and making it shorter and faster, the sport has changed phenomenally.
“The choice of these five new sports is in line with the American sports culture and will showcase iconic American sports to the world, while bringing international sports to the United States. These sports will make
the Olympic Games LA28 unique,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. “Their inclusion will allow the Olympic Movement to engage with new athlete and fan communities in the US and globally.”
“I have long believed that we have an incredible opportunity in Los Angeles to create the most compelling Games, not just for us, but for the world. Our Olympic sport programme, in its entirety, reflects this belief,” said LA28 Chairperson Casey Wasserman. “We are excited to embark on game-changing collaborations with major professional leagues that will unlock massive opportunities to amplify the Olympic and Paralympic story and captivate new audiences.”
This selection of sports was made through a process and analysis based on evaluation criteria set out before the process began, including gender equality. It considered the utilisation of existing facilities, involving a wide range of sports communities both in the United States and globally, and incorporating some of the most popular sports in the United States and across the globe.
The IOC Session also supported the recommendations made by the IOC EB concerning the status of modern pentathlon and weightlifting, which were not part of the initial sports programme for LA28.
The IOC session endorsed the recommendation from the IOC EB (executive board) to include modern pentathlon in the LA programme, acknowledging the replacement of horse riding with obstacle racing.
Weightlifting as a sport was also in trouble. However, the IOC session accepted the EB recommendation following the decision of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) to delegate its anti-doping management to the International Testing Agency (ITA), and its sanctioning to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) at least until the end of 2028.
The effectiveness of the anti-doping programmes for the Paris 2024 Olympic qualification and Olympic competition will continue to be closely monitored by the IOC, as will the implementation of the governance and cultural changes adopted by the IWF.
Squash being included has also been welcome by India as the nation did well recently in the Asian Games.
Six time Asian Games medallist Joshana Chinappa took to social media to express her happiness on squash being included for LA 2028.
