Decks have been cleared for the inclusion of cricket in the 34th Summer Olympic Games, scheduled to be held in and around Los Angeles, California, United States from 14 to 30 July 2028.

Five sports, including cricket, proposed for inclusion at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, were approved by the International Olympic Committee executive board today, leaving them with one last hurdle to seal their Olympic spots.

Organisers of the LA 2028 Games said this week they wanted cricket (T20), flag football, lacrosse (sixes), squash and baseball/softball added to the event. Each host city, under IOC rules approved a few years ago, can request the inclusion of several sports for their edition of the Games.

“These proposals have been accepted as a package by the IOC Executive Board,” IOC President Thomas Bach told a press conference at the end of the executive board meeting. The IOC session, starting on October 15, will now have to automatically approve the recommendation of the board.

Cricket, which enjoys a massive appeal in India and a fast growing global audience, is set for an Olympic return after appearing once at the 1900 Games. While the inclusion of all five sports disciplines is only for one edition of the Games, they are banking on the boost provided by Olympic participation to spur growth as they look to remain an attractive Olympic product going into the next four-year cycle.

Flag football is a non-contact format of American football played by teams of five. Baseball was featured in several previous Games. It was added to the 2020 Tokyo program after being left off in 2012 and 2016, but it will not be a part of the Paris Games.

Softball, the female counterpart to baseball, has appeared at five previous editions of the Summer Games and was also left off the Paris agenda.
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PHOTO: International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach speaks at the Executive Board Meeting in Mumbai on 13 October 2023.