After women's cricket made its debut in T20I format at the Birmingham Commonwealth games 2022, there are growing clamours towards wanting to see the game make its way to the Olympics. Well, there is good news for fans as International Olympic Committee (IOC) will review the possibility of cricket's inclusion at the 2028 Los Angeles (LA) Olympics.
IOC has shortlisted cricket for a review along with eight other sporting disciplines namely baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse, break dancing, karate, kick-boxing, squash, and motorsport. As per a report in ESPNcricinfo, IOC has requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) to submit a presentation to support cricket's inclusion. The presentation will likely be made during the IOC meeting in Mumbai in the second quarter of 2023.
Earlier in February this year, IOC had announced that 28 sports would be a part of Los Angeles Olympics with a focus on youth, and in May, it came up with means to evaluate 'potential new sports' and figure if they were a good fit for the Olympics.
As per IOC rules, a sport should pass the list of criteria for inclusion in Olympics, which includes priorities to cost and complexity reduction, engaging the best athletes and sports with safety and health first, global appeal, host country interest, gender equality, youth relevance, upholding integrity and fairness to support clean sports, and long-term sustainability. Also, for a sporting event to be featured at the Olympics, it is mandatory for it to be for both men and women.
The ICC and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had tried hard for cricket to be included in the Commonwealth Games 2022. With cricket being 'a star attraction' at the CWG 2022 currently being held in Birmingham, the ICC is very optimistic of cricket's inclusion in LA games. But ultimately the LA committee will decide cricket's fate.
{{/usCountry}}The ICC and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had tried hard for cricket to be included in the Commonwealth Games 2022. With cricket being 'a star attraction' at the CWG 2022 currently being held in Birmingham, the ICC is very optimistic of cricket's inclusion in LA games. But ultimately the LA committee will decide cricket's fate.
{{/usCountry}}Cricket has been a part of the Olympics only once, back in the 1900 Paris Olympic Games, with Great Britain and host France as only participants.