Cricket Australia dreams for sport to be included in 2028 Los Angeles Olympics
Cricket Australia has revealed its “big aspirations” to see cricket included in the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics. Here’s the thinking behind the bid.
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Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley is hopeful the ICC can win its bid to be included in the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics in a move that would put Australia at the centre of “the next evolution of growing the game globally”.
Cricket is one of nine sports short-listed for inclusion in the Los Angeles Olympics games with 28 sports already in the initial program.
If the bid to include men’s and women’s cricket in the 2028 Olympics is successful, Australia would likely become the first major cricketing nation to host the global event with the sport included in 2032.
It comes as the ICC views the Olympics as a major path for growing the game.
The world governing body of cricket made it a priority by awarding USA hosting rights alongside the West Indies for the 2024 T20 World Cup.
“There is really strong support for cricket’s bids for the Olympics across world cricket,” Hockley said.
“The ICC has its own strategic plan which has six priorities and cricket in the Olympics is one of those six priorities.
“The formal process to bid to be a part of Los Angeles in 2028 is not too far away and we have got a really good opportunity in 2024 to really demonstrate our credentials.”
Hockley said it was an exciting opportunity for Australia to host to the Olympics with cricket included.
“We have got big aspirations for cricket to be a part of the Olympic Games in 2028 and 2032 in Australia,” he said.
“And also the T20 World Cup is expanding to 20 teams so certainly the way that some of those emerging nations are really able to stand toe-to-toe with the more established nations, that’s really great for world cricket.
“I think the exciting opportunity for Australian cricket is that the home of the Olympics in 2032 is Brisbane.
“So I actually think it is the next evolution of growing the game globally after the success of the recent tournament.”
The ICC will add four teams to both the 50-over and T20 World Cup events from 2024 in a move which is hoped will help grow the game globally.
The 50-over format will move from 10 teams to 14 in World Cups and T20s will have 20 teams rather than 16.
It comes as the recent 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia showed the development of the emerging cricketing nations with upset results including Zimbabwe beating Pakistan, Ireland defeating tournament champions England and Netherlands shocking South Africa.
Hockley said he would also like to see cricket’s inclusion in the Paralympics as well.
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