Mumbai, India

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has officially approved cricket’s return to the Olympics after President Thomas Bach announced it on Friday (Oct 13). The official word came during the IOC’s board meeting in Mumbai where the proposal was on the agenda. It was one of the five sports on the agenda as host organisers accepted the proposal to include cricket along with baseball/softball, flag football (non-contact American football), squash, and lacrosse. With this cricket I set to return to the Olympics after 128 years, having last been part of the games in Paris in 1900.

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Cricket in Olympics

Speaking after Friday’s meeting, President Bach was optimistic about the inclusion of the sport as the International Cricket Council (ICC) and other bodies pushed for its inclusion. While there is approval for cricket to be included in the LA 2028 Olympics, the sport will still need to be voted in by the IOC membership in a ballot due to be held on Monday before they are assured of a place at the 2028 Games.

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Cricket was last included in the Olympics in 1900 when it was held in Paris with cricketing bodies formerly pushing for it to be included in the 2020 games. The shortest version of the game – the T20 (20 over per side) format was put on the proposal in the IOC meeting, where it has now got the green lights. The LA organisers also approved its inclusion paving the way for cricket to be part of the popular tournament.

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This will be a positive sign for the Indian Olympics as they will be one of the hot favourites to win a medal if it gets the final green light. India’s men’s and women’s teams recently won gold medals in the Asian Games, which are encouraging signs for the nation in the build-up to the games.

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India has been building on their Olympics success in recent years having amassed a record tally of seven medals in the Tokyo Olympics including a gold medal for Neeraj Chopra in athletics. India also won six medals in the 2012 London Games, showing signs of great development in the Olympics.

Cricket’s inclusion could see India build on the recent success, especially in the gold medals tally. India gave won 10 gold medals in the Olympics with eight of those coming in hockey.

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