Dubai: The chances of cricket making an appearance at the Olympics in 2028 is one step closer after event organisers announced they had recommended the inclusion of the sport for the Los Angeles Games.
While cricket has been seen at two recent editions of the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur in 1998 and Birmingham in 2022, the sport hasn’t been seen at an Olympic Games since England defeated France in a one-off match in Paris to clinch the Gold medal in 1900.
But a second appearance at the Olympics could be on the cards in the USA in five years time, with LA28 officials recommending the inclusion of cricket in a list of sports put forward to the IOC for approval and set to be added for the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad.
ICC Chair Greg Barclay was delighted to hear of the recommendation and is looking forward to a final decision being made in the future.
“We are delighted that LA28 have recommended cricket for inclusion in the Olympics,” Barclay said.
“While 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.
“I’d like to thank LA28 for their support during the new sport evaluation process over last two years 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.”