Cricket has evolved in the recent years and its inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics was a welcome proposal, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach said on Monday.
Addressing a press conference on the second day of the historic 141st IOC Session in Mumbai, Bach said: “Cricket has evolved very much in recent years. The most important argument is that we have seen the growing international importance of cricket. The Olympic Games wanted to incorporate the most popular sports worldwide… Therefore, this proposal was very welcome.”
The IOC voted cricket, in the T20 format, along with lacrosse (sixes), baseball/softball, flag football and squash as additional sports for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
“I have not said this for the past 50 years… But we can say that there has been a great development in cricket… IOC member Nita Ambani gave advice and then we had a discussion with the organizing committee of LA and everything came together…” he said.
Earlier on Monday, Bach made the announcement of cricket’s inclusion along with other sports after the recommendation of the Executive Board was put to vote through raise of hands.
The proposal to include the five sports recommended by LA28 Organising Committee was opposed by only two of the 99 IOC members.
Bach said the five chosen sports are a perfect fit for LA28. “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. Their inclusion will allow the Olympic Movement to engage with new athlete and fan communities in the US and globally.”
Cricket has been played in the Olympics only once before, in Paris in 1900, when England defeated France.
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