Cricket in Olympics
International Olympic Committee’s final decision to include cricket would be included in the Games is expected around October. Let us look at details on Cricket in Olympics.
For more Cricket News and Updates Join our Telegram Channel
The ICC has recommended six-team T20 events for both men and women to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games organizing committee (LA28). As it continues its push for cricket to be included in the biggest global sports events.
If the proposal is accepted, it is likely that the six participating teams would be the top six in the ICC’s men’s and women’s T20 rankings on a cut-off date.
The ICC has not yet finalised a tournament structure – it is still discussing options for this with the LA28 organisers.
T20 was the format proposed since both LA28 and the IOC had told the ICC that the format should be one in which there is a world championship conducted (that would rule out T10, for example). Has a compact duration (ruling out ODIs) and significant spectator interest.
Why only six teams for the Olympics?
The IOC’s effort to become more cost-effective, which it has outlined as part of its strategy plan named “Olympic Agenda 2020+5”, is the primary reason why the ICC recommends six-team events. The IOC has established that minimising inflated team sizes across disciplines as well as the overall contingents is the best method to reduce costs. As a result, there will be 10,500 athletes competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics, down from the 11,300 competitors competing in the 2021 Tokyo Games.
The 2020+5 strategic plan, which supports several high-profile events, including LA28, includes cost-saving “opportunities,” and the IOC has highlighted “evolving the event-based programme with a key focus on simplifying the venue master plan, and reducing cost and complexity in each sport” as one of these opportunities.
Additionally, LA28 informed the ICC that the proposed competition’s calibre could not be compromised and that only the top athletes should participate. This also influenced the decision to only allow the top-six teams from both the male and female genders to compete in the planned event.
IOC favors single venue for cricket
Cricket has a unique set of challenges in terms of cost-cutting because teams must travel with support workers and use a specific number of playing fields in addition to practise fields. It is believed that LA28 advised the ICC during the discussions that both the men’s and women’s competitions would need to be limited to a single venue.
At the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last July–August, when women’s T20 cricket was one of the 19 sports, the ICC had already seen the benefit of such cost-saving strategies. The ICC had initially suggested two venues, but the organisers only allowed Edgbaston to host 16 matches spread out over ten days with various double headers.
For a spot in the 2028 Olympics, cricket is up against eight other sports: baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse, breakdancing, karate, kickboxing, squash, and racing. Before deciding how many could be added to the list of 28 previously decided in February 2022, the IOC will examine each of the ideas.
The LA28 and the IOC as well as the ICC have been in frequent communication. Even an ICC mission went to Lausanne, Switzerland, to the IOC headquarters. Geoff Allardice, the CEO of the ICC, met with LA28 representatives in December in Los Angeles.
Jay Shah added to ICC’s Olympics working group
BCCI secretary Jay Shah has been added to the ICC’s Olympics working group. Which is headed by Greg Barclay (ICC chairman)
Shah’s inclusion, who serves as both the finance and commercial affairs committee’s chair and the BCCI representation on the ICC board, is a calculated move. Given India’s desire to host the Olympics soon, the IOC has identified the nation as a crucial market. The ICC thinks Shah’s presence might give its negotiations with the IOC for cricket to be featured at sport’s largest global event a significant and potentially powerful push.
It has come to our attention that the working group has provided the ICC members with a summary of its conversations with LA28.
