Cricket set to feature at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics

Posted on : 10/09/2023
Cricket set to feature at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics
Сricket 

Cricket set to feature at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics for the first time in over 120 years… with Great Britain beating France the last time the sport was played at the games

  • Great Britain played a cricket match against France in Paris Olympics of 1900
  • The Olympics have recently included sports such as skateboarding and surfing
  • The addition of cricket ties in with the desire to appeal to the Indian market 

Cricket is set to feature at an Olympics for the first time in more than a century after Los Angeles 2028 organisers recommended it be added to their programme. 

A vote on LA’s proposed sports will take place at a meeting in Mumbai next week, with Twenty20 cricket all but certain to get the green light given the IOC’s (Olympic Programming commission) desire to tap into the Indian market.

The current Olympic broadcast rights in India are reportedly worth £15.6m ($20m) for Paris 2024 but, according to the Guardian, experts say that figure could rise to £150m now cricket has been included.

The sport’s only previous Olympic appearance was at Paris 1900, when Great Britain beat France in the final, which was also the only match.

Cricket is set to be included in 2028 Los Angeles games, in a desire to access Indian markets

Sports such as skateboarding, surfing, karate, baseball and softball were included in Tokyo

During those games cricket was part of one of only 18 sports and was only played by the the two nations because Netherlands and Belgium withdrew.

Each side had 12 players, instead of the traditional 11, and it was played with a Test format but over two days instead of five.

Great Britain were represented by the Devon and Somerset Wanderers, while the French team was made up mostly of British citizens living in Paris.

In 2028 the format will be much different with the T20 format in usefor men and women, while it is highly likely to be retained for the 2032 Games in Australia. 

International Cricket Council chairman Greg Barclay said: ‘We are delighted that LA28 have recommended cricket for inclusion in the Olympics.

‘Whilst 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.’

There is a massive market for cricket in India which the Olympics will hope to tap into 

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