‘Significant landmark’: Cricket recommended for Los Angeles 2028 Olympics

Organisers want cricket, lacrosse, flag football, squash, baseball and softball added to the Games.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has said it is “delighted” at the decision of the organisers of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics to recommend cricket for inclusion at the Games.

Organisers of the 2028 Olympics want cricket, flag football, lacrosse, squash as well as baseball-softball added to their Games programme, media reports said on Monday.

“The list [of sports to be added in Los Angeles] will now be put forward for approval to the International Olympic Committee (IOC),” cricket’s governing body said in a statement confirming the recommendation.

The organisers’ recommendations will be subject to final approval by the IOC, with a session set for Mumbai this month.

“We are delighted that LA28 have recommended cricket for inclusion in the Olympics,” ICC Chairman Greg Barclay said.

“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.”

A massive step for cricket and its bid for inclusion at the 2028 Olympic Games.

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— ICC (@ICC) October 9, 2023

Of the five sports recommended by the organisers, three have never been included in an Olympic programme: squash, lacrosse and flag football, an appealing option for the US-based Games, given the overwhelming popularity of the National Football League (NFL).

Cricket, which enjoys enormous global appeal, would return after appearing once before at the 1900 Games after the tremendous success for women’s cricket at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Baseball was included in several prior Games – and was added back to the Tokyo programme after it was left off in 2012 and 2016 – but will not be a part of the Paris Games.

Softball, which is contested by female athletes, has appeared at five previous editions of the Summer Games and was also left off the Paris agenda.