The International Cricket Council (ICC) has said it is “delighted” at the determination of the organizers of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics to recommend cricket for inclusion at the Olympic Games.
The media reports said on Monday that organizers of the 2028 Olympics want cricket, flag football, lacrosse, squash as well as baseball-softball added to their Games program.
In a statement confirming the recommendation, cricket’s governing body said, “The list [of sports to be added in Los Angeles] will now be put forward for approval to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).”
The recommendations of organizers will be subject to final approval by the IOC, with a session set for Mumbai this month.
ICC Chairman Greg Barclay said, “We are delighted that LA28 (Los Angeles 2028) has recommended cricket for inclusion in the Olympics.”
“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, 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.”
Of the five sports recommended by the organizers, three have never been included in an Olympic program: squash, lacrosse, and flag football, an attractive option for the US-based Games, given the overwhelming popularity of the National Football League (NFL).
Cricket, which enjoys massive global attraction, would return after emerging once before at the 1900 Games after the huge success of women’s cricket at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Baseball was included in several previous Games – and was added back to the Tokyo program after it was left off in 2012 and 2016 – but will not be a part of the Paris Games.
Softball, which is competed by female athletes, has occurred at five last editions of the Summer Games and was also left off the Paris agenda.
