Ricky Ponting Pushes Cricket's Case in the Olympics

Ex-Cricketers have urged Indian authorities to push the game of cricket for the Olympics or let the game suffer.

The introduction of T20 cricket to the Olympics formed a major agenda of MCC World Cricket committee meetings held in Sydney on Tuesday and Thursday, with former players keen to push for the sport’s involvement.

Administrators have lost all hope of making an entry into the 2024 Games scheduled for Paris and have now turned their focus to Los Angeles in 2028.

However, their biggest stumbling block is the Board of Cricket Control for India (BCCI), who face issues with their own Olympic Committee.

“It’s one of those things that has frustrated me. We would like to urge the BCCI to have a look at it again and support the main body of boards that would like to get into the Olympics as soon as possible,” chairman of the committee Mike Gatting said.

Mike Gatting further added it would be good for the cause of the game.

“It seems strange that everyone else seems happy to get in there because it’s just going to be so good for the game. Free-to-air TV all over the world. It’s only once every four years. It’s not going to be a scheduling matter. It just seems they seem reticent to try and get involved,” Gatting further added.

The International Cricket Council had previously stated that majority of the member nations are behind the push along with chief executive, David Richardson.

Former Australian legend Ricky Ponting, who is a member the 14-person independent committee said players were also keen and commitment would be an issue.

“We’re very conscious of not lessening the product we’re putting out. If cricket makes it into the Olympics, it has to be the best players and showcasing the sport for what it is. The players would want it because of how beneficial they would see that being for the game going forward,” Ponting, who participated in 1998 Commonwealth Games said.

The committee also discussed issues like the importance of strengthening Test cricket up against lucrative Twenty20 leagues, heat laws, making helmets compulsory, standardising DRS technology and player associations becoming more involved in the reporting of concussions.

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