The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has officially inducted cricket, along with four other sports for the Los Angeles Olympics 2028. The acceptance of the proposal has officially been given in the 141st IOC session in Mumbai.
One of the most exciting sports in the world appeared in the 1900 Paris Olympics, where the hosts, France played against Great Britain in a Test match, where the latter won a gold medal, and the former secured silver.
For the acceptance of the proposal of induction of cricket, the majority of the IOC members voted in favour of the game, whereas two members were against the decision, while one did not vote.
Along with cricket, the four games that are newly inducted are baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse, and squash.
Speaking on the induction of cricket in LA28, Neeraj Chopra, 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Gold Medalist, said, “It’s great tidings for India as we have a great cricket team and some superb up-and-coming players with a lot of potential. This will also benefit cricket as an entry into the Olympics will only further its worldwide appeal. The sport’s inclusion at LA28 will be an opportunity for cricket to extend its global footprint and encourage more countries to take up the sport seriously.
PR Sreejesh, an Indian Hockey Goalkeeper, commented, “For the cricketers, it is an entry to a sportsperson’s life. They usually travel to elite places and stay in posh hotels. But when they get to the Olympic Village, they will see different Olympians, medallists and elite international athletes. So it will be a fantastic experience for them.”
Jhulan Goswami, Former Indian women’s team pacer, said, “As cricketers, we always prepare for the World Cups but now, the Olympics will also be there. I hope to see both the Indian men’s and women’s cricket teams participate in LA28 and win medals for their country on the Olympic stage. Really exciting times for all cricketers, especially cricketers.”
Harmanpreet Kaur, Captain, Indian women’s cricket team, said, “The moment we got to know that we could also be potentially a part of the Olympics, we were all really excited. Everyone’s really looking forward to LA28 and we hope that we can perform at the Olympics the same way we did at the Asian Games.”