International Olympic Committee approves cricket and four other sports for 2028 Games in Los Angeles | Cricket News
Five sports, including cricket and flag football, will be included at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics after receiving the approval of the International Olympic Committee.
Lacrosse, squash and baseball-softball also received the green light at an official IOC meeting in Mumbai on Monday with only two delegates voting against the five new events.
Each host city, under IOC rules, can request the inclusion of several sports for their edition of the Games.
Cricket has only appeared once at the Olympics, at the Paris Games in 1900, but IOC president Thomas Bach said last week that the game’s worldwide popularity made it an attractive proposition.
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IOC president Thomas Bach confirms cricket has been approved for inclusion at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and is confident it will help grow the global popularity of the sport
Bach said: “We are ready to welcome the world’s best players of cricket to perform in the United States in 2028, while showcasing iconic American sports to the world.
“We see the growing popularity of cricket, particularly the T20 format.”
The Los Angeles Games proposal is for a six-team Twenty20 tournament for men and women.
Squash and flag football, the latter a non-contact format of American football played by teams of five, are set for their Olympic debuts in 2028.
The World Squash Federation has made several failed attempts to have the sport included with other sports including skateboarding, surfing, and breakdancing previously preferred.
Baseball has featured in several previous Games, most recently in 2020, with softball, the women’s counterpart, appearing at five editions.
Lacrosse has also been contested at five previous Games, dating back to 1908 and most recently in 1948, but only as a demonstration sport with no medal ceremony involved.
