IOC gives green signal for Cricket to return in Olympics 2029

The International Olympic Committee’s executive board made a revolutionary decision on 13 October, Friday to introduce Cricket yet again as a sport in the Olympics. Cricket will be inculcated once again in the multi Sports mega global event after 123 years and will be played for the first time in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. 

Cricket was last played in the Olympics in 1900 when the season of the Olympics was conducted in Paris. Since then one of the most popular sports in the world has been absent from the global athletic event. Thomas Bach believes the inclusion of cricket in the Olympics will give the sport new heights and a worldwide exposure. 

Thomas Bach on IOC board decision and the inclusion of Cricket

“These proposals have been accepted as a package by the IOC executive board taking into consideration that these proposals and these sports are fully in line with the sports culture of our host in ’28, with the American sports culture,” said Thomas Bach, IOC president.

“They will showcase iconic American sports to the world while bringing at the same time international sports to the United States. The inclusion will, on the other hand, allow the Olympics to engage with new athletes and fan communities in the US and globally,” he added. 

“This is a win-win situation. The Olympic Games will give cricket a global stage and the opportunity to grow beyond the traditional cricket countries and regions. And for the Olympic movement, it’s an opportunity to engage with the fans and athletes community, to which so far we have very little or no access. And we see this move also very much reflected here in how one can enrich the other: we see it in India where you see the growing Olympic spirit, where you see a number of Olympic sports gaining strength and becoming popular. And cricket is still being the No. 1 sport and the most popular sport”, said Bach.