Cricket’s Inclusion in the Olympics After 128 Years
The world’s favorite sport, Cricket, will break new ground in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 after nearly a century. It was a historic step in the right direction when the sport felt stagnant over the past few years. Getting included in the Olympics will provide a global platform for the sport to create a more significant impact on people worldwide.
The exciting news was announced on Monday, 16th October 2023, at the recent 141st International Olympics Session hosted by Mukesh Ambani at the Jio World Centre. Millions of fans in India are already celebrating the news where they worship Cricket like a religion. It has amassed support from significant communities, including athletes and even Bollywood stars!
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Some sources have revealed that the IOC and ICC underwent intense backchannel work for two years to include the beloved sport in the upcoming Olympics. The committee has approved four other sports, including flag football, softball/baseball, lacrosse, and squash.
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Thomas Bach, IOC President, said:
The Olympic Games wanted to incorporate the most popular sports worldwide… Therefore, this proposal was very welcome.
Reliance Foundation Chairperson Nita Ambani has said, “I’m delighted that this historic resolution was passed at the 141st IOC Session taking place right here in our country in Mumbai and also at a time when we are hosting the cricket World Cup.” She also stated that it would be a great movement to increase engagement with South Asian countries.
BCCI Secretary Jay Shah exclaimed:
We are thrilled to witness this momentous occasion, which marks a significant milestone for the sport.
Even the ICC Chairman, Greg Barclay, said, “To have the opportunity to showcase our great sport at the LA28 Games and hopefully many Olympic Games to come will be great for players and fans alike.” He also said that they’re aiming to make ICC a permanent member of the Olympic Movement to make Cricket a fixed sport from now on.
On a similar note, the director of the LA Local Organising Committee, Niccolo Campriani, praised the most beloved cricketer of India, Virat Kohli. He said the athlete’s global stardom made it easy to include Cricket in the upcoming Olympics.
Campriani, during the session, said:
“Think [about] my friend here, Virat [Kohli]. He’s the third-most-followed athlete in the world on social media, with 314 million followers. That’s more than LeBron James, Tom Brady, and Tiger Woods combined. This is the ultimate win-win for LA 28. We are thrilled to welcome the world’s second-most popular sport, with an estimated 2.5 billion fans worldwide.”
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The ICC and IOC are yet to decide on a qualifier format but have stated that it will be a six-team affair. Many have suggested that the T20 format would be a good choice as it has a unique audience appeal. It is also fast-paced and seems like a practical option. On the other hand, they could also adopt the T10 format since it is shorter.
Cricket soared in popularity in India when they won the Men’s ODI World Cup against West Indies way back in 1983. It became a modern-day fairytale and made major contributions to the sport we enjoy today.
Thanks to the inclusion of Cricket in the upcoming Olympics, the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi has riled up. He is hell-bent on hosting the 2036 Olympics in India and whether it’ll happen or not… we all can just wait and see.
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Do you remember it says that Cricket was included after 128 years? Then, does it mean that it happened once long ago? You’re right! The only time Cricket was ever played as a sport in the Olympics was at the Paris 1900 Olympics. The event itself was wild because only two teams played out of four.
Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Great Britain were set to play the matches. Sadly, Belgium and the Netherlands bowed out at the last moment and left the other two nations to play. They battled against each other in the ‘Test’ match format that lasted two days. Great Britain defeated France and became the only country to win gold in Cricket in the Olympics. That is set to change with the latest announcement.
Some may even say that it was bound to happen sooner or later. Cricket has been a part of the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur in the past, with a men’s tournament. The women’s tournament made its way to CWG last year in Birmingham 2022.
The T20 Cricket format has been played in the recent Asian Games in the years 2010, 2014, and 2023. They included both men’s and women’s tournaments and received much attention.
On a similar note, Cricket is gaining traction in the United States. They are hosting the T20 World Cup next year along with the West Indies. It will help the sport gain recognition and traction in the upcoming years. The inclusion of Cricket aims to invite other nations to participate and get involved with the extravagant sport.
