Brisbane 2032 Games: Cricket may be added to Olympics by IOC

A historic decision on whether to include cricket as an official sport at the next Olympic and Paralympic Games has been postponed by organisers, leaving Brisbane Games organisers hanging.

• Editor’s view: Win for Brisbane

A historic decision on whether to include cricket as an official sport at the next Olympic and Paralympic Games has been postponed by organisers.

The International Olympic Committee’s executive board had been due to meet Friday and confirm the sports for the Los Angeles 2028 Games – with T20 cricket high on the agenda.

Such a decision would have seen the sport a near certainty for the Brisbane 2032 Games.

But the IOC has decided to postpone that potentially historic decision, citing “ongoing discussions” between with the LA organising committee.

“As a consequence, the sports program for the Olympic Games LA28 will be discussed during a later (meeting), to take place at a date to be decided,” a statement read.

IOC boss Thomas Bach earlier this week expressed his enthusiasm for cricket to be including in upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games, saying it “makes sense”.

Pre-empting any decision, there were suggestions made earlier in the week that the Gabba stadium could host the final T20 matches of the tournament in the first week of the Games, between the Opening Ceremony and the athletics in week two.

The main Gabba stadium could host the final matches of the tournament.

IOC president Thomas Bach is understood to be keen to include cricket because of its appeal to the 1.8 billion people in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, traditionally nations not so engaged by Olympic sports.

An Olympic T20 tournament would be expected to attract enormous numbers of TV viewers and so more broadcast revenue for the IOC, and the sport’s inclusion would lay the groundwork for a bid from India to host the 2036 Games.

A potential barrier for cricket’s inclusion has always been the large number of participating athletes, with both a men’s and women's event likely.

But it is understood a possible solution would be to play pre-Games qualifying rounds ahead of a finals series after the opening ceremony. This would open up the Gabba option, that it is understood the state government here is eyeing off.

A Brisbane 2032 spokesman said sports programs were typically submitted seven years before a Games, with each organising committee given an opportunity to propose the inclusion of one or more additional events about four years out – as the LA2028 team is doing now.

The spokesman said Brisbane 2032 was yet to decide which sports it would propose.

“We understand there are many sports that will want to participate in the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and we appreciate their enthusiasm,” the spokesman said. “It’s early days and, at the appropriate time, we will decide on making a proposal based on a process and principles that align with our vision for the Games and are approved by IOC.”

The Brisbane 2032 spokesman said cricket would not be allocated a venue for the Games until it was confirmed as an addition.

Queensland Cricket chief executive Terry Svenson he was “optimistic” – and offered up Allan Border Field at Albion in Brisbane’s inner north as a potential venue.

“Queensland Cricket has been upfront about managing the displacement we face with the Gabba redevelopment in the Olympics lead-in, and we have advocated for greater capacity at Allan Border Field to help us manage that displacement period,” he said.

“But the upgraded Allan Border Field capacity would also assist with any Olympic requirements as well, with its location in the already identified Albion Olympic precinct.”

Meanwhile Acting Premier Steven Miles on Thursday confirmed a project validation report on the Gabba redevelopment was due back this week, with the government set to release it by the end of the year.