ICC Set To Invest $3 Million To Get Cricket Included In 2028 Los Angeles Olympics

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to make a $3 million bid for cricket’s inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics after they expressed disappointment that the sport was not included in the provisional list of 28 sports for the 2028 mega event earlier this month.

While it was a major setback, the ICC has denied that it is a major cause of worry and cited that there was plenty of time available to get cricket included in the Olympics for the 2028 Los Angeles games. Notably, cricket has made one single appearance in the world event, in 1900 when France won the gold medal.

It is understood that changes in the provisional list can be made until 2023 when the Local Organising Committee for the 2028 LA Olympics proposes additional sports.

It Took Time To Get The Ball Rolling And There Hasn’t Been Enough Work Done Yet: Source On ICC Wasting Time   

In order to get cricket into Olympics, the ICC had appointed a working group by then acting ICC chair Imran Khwaja that included independent director Indra Nooyi, then-ECB chair Ian Watmore, Zimbabwe’s Tavengwa Mukuhlani, and Scotland’s Tony Brian. These were tasked with preparing a detailed report on how the sport can be suited to the tastes of the Olympics.

“It took time to get the ball rolling. There hasn’t been enough work done yet. There have been too many sideshows within the ICC,” an official privy to the developments of the ICC’s bid told ESPNCricinfo.

Unfortunately, the group never met and Khawaja was then replaced by Greg Barclay. Then later, ICC was involved in turmoil when ICC chief Manu Sawhney was stripped of his position following allegations of bullying at the workplace.

“ICC wasted precious time squabbling over a chairman and then even after a sub-committee was formed in December 2020, it didn’t formally start work until just four months back. The ICC may pin their hopes on the final list of sports for LA28 in 2023 but don’t expect other sports to just roll over and make way for cricket,” an ICC member from Canada was quoted as saying.

“We know it won’t be easy to secure our inclusion as there are so many other great sports out there wanting to do the same,” Barclay said at the time. “But we feel now is the time to put our best foot forward and show what a great partnership cricket and the Olympics could be,” he added.

Apart from the Olympics, cricket has been part of such a multi-nation sporting event only twice. In the 1998 Commonwealth games, cricket was included in Malaysia, with 16 men’s teams participating including the likes of India, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Jamaica, Sri Lanka, and others.

And next year, women’s teams will participate in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, the UK in a 20-over per side tournament.

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