Cricket To Be Included in Olympic Games? Here’s the official update

Cricket in Olympics: History was made on 7 August 2021 as Neeraj Chopra bagged the first-ever Gold Medal for India in athletics at the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020. The Indian contingent finished with its best ever tally of a total of eight medals at the Tokyo Olympics. However, in another massive good news for all the cricket fans, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed its intention to push for cricket’s inclusion in the Olympic Games.

ICC confirms intentions to include Cricket in Olympics

In its latest press release, the ICC stated that they have started with the preparations to bid for cricket’s inclusion as a sport in the Los Angeles Olympic Games 2028, Brisbane 2032 and beyond. It has been understood that the ICC has convened a Working Group to lead the bid on behalf of the sport. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is also working closely with the ICC on the plan of including cricket in Olympics.

ICC can confirm its intention to push for cricket's inclusion in the @Olympics, with the 2028 Games in Los Angeles being the primary target.

More details ?

— ICC (@ICC) August 10, 2021

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England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) head Ian Watmore will be the chairperson of the ICC Olympic Working Group and he will be joined by the ICC Independent Director Indra Nooyi, Chief of Zimbabwe Cricket Tavengwa Mukuhlani, ICC Associate Member Director and Vice President of the Asian Cricket Council Mahinda Vallipuram and chair of USA Cricket Paraag Marathe.

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“Olympics a part of cricket’s long-term future,” says ICC chairman

“Firstly on behalf of everyone at the ICC, I would like to congratulate the IOC, Tokyo 2020, and the people of Japan for staging such an incredible Games in such difficult circumstances. It truly was fantastic to watch and captured the imagination of the world and we would love for cricket to be a part of future Games,” ICC chairman Greg Barclay said.

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“Our sport is united behind this bid, and we see the Olympics as a part of cricket’s long-term future. We have more than a billion fans globally and almost 90 percent of them want to see cricket at the Olympics. Clearly cricket has a strong and passionate fanbase, particularly in South Asia where 92% of our fans come from whilst there are also 30 million cricket fans in the USA. The opportunity for those fans to see their heroes competing for an Olympic medal is tantalising,” he added.

“We believe cricket would be a great addition to the Olympic Games, but 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. But we feel now is the time to put our best foot forward and show what a great partnership cricket and the Olympics are.”

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