Decision to include cricket in Los Angeles Olympics 2028 delayed

Bat and Ball. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

The much-awaited announcement regarding cricket’s inclusion in the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028 has been temporarily postponed according to a statement from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The LA2028 Organising Committee’s meeting that was scheduled to examine the possibility and the prospective inclusion of eight other sports in the Olympics has also been delayed. The IOC Executive Board will meet to examine the sports schedule for the Olympics Games LA28, as per a release.

“Due to ongoing discussions between the IOC and the (LA2028) Organising Committee, the Olympic Programme Commission has not yet had the opportunity to hold its meeting to prepare its final recommendation for the IOC Executive Board,” the IOC said in a statement on September 7.

“As a consequence, the sports programme for the Olympic Games LA28 will be discussed during a later IOC Executive Board meeting, to take place at a date to be decided,” the statement added.

As a result of the delay, the sports program for the 2028 Olympics will be revised at a later date. The meeting will be led by the IOC’s executive board, which consists of 15 people, including IOC president Thomas Bach, four vice presidents, and ten other members.

Along with cricket, the board intended to look into the possibility of including sports items like flag football, karate, kickboxing, baseball softball, lacrosse, breakdancing, squash, and motorsport.

If the board approves to include cricket, the decision will need to be completely endorsed or ratified during the IOC session in Mumbai in October. According to a media report, the International Cricket Council (ICC) remains optimistic regarding cricket’s inclusion, despite the delay.

The popularity of cricket in the United States has grown, with the Major League Cricket (MLC) launching earlier this year. Moreover, although the path toward cricket’s inclusion in the Olympics has been delayed, the hopes for its debut in LA2028 stay solid.