The International Cricket Council's push for the game's inclusion at the 2028 LA Olympics gained further ground when the world cricket body's chairman, Jay Shah met with the head of the International Olympic Council Thomas Bach.
The duo met at the IOC's headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland and discussed about cricket's future in the Olympic programme.
'Momentum continues to build around cricket's inclusion as an Olympics sport at the LA28 Games and beyond, with Jay Shah meeting International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach in Lausanne, Switzerland this week,' ICC posted on Instagram.
Shah attended a seminar involving LA 2028 International Federations at the Olympic House in Lausanne. He was joined by ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice with the "meeting focusing on key areas of collaboration between the ICC and the IOC in the build-up to the Los Angeles Games".
“This was the first time Mr Shah was meeting with Mr Bach and they explored potential avenues for collaboration in promoting the Olympic values of excellence, friendship, and respect within the cricketing world,” the ICC said in a statement.
"It is an exciting time for cricket with tremendous opportunity to engage with existing and new fans ahead of the LA 2028 Games, paving the way for potential future collaborations with the Olympic movement that will benefit athletes, fans, and the global sporting community,” it added.
"...It was a productive meeting and an important milestone on the road to LA 2028. The inclusion of cricket in the Olympic Games represents a watershed moment for our sport and a real opportunity for transformative growth for 2028 and beyond,” Shah said.
“We discussed a range of critical issues and continued to build relationships with our friends across the Olympic movement. We look forward to the next three and half years working in collaboration with the IOC and LA 2028.”
This meeting underscores the ongoing efforts to integrate cricket into the Olympic movement. Cricket was officially added to the LA28 sports program during the 141st IOC Session in Mumbai, alongside flag football, lacrosse, squash, and baseball/softball.
Jay Shah, who began his tenure as ICC Chairman on December 1, 2024, has been a strong advocate for cricket’s inclusion in multi-sport events. During his previous role as the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), he played a pivotal part in securing cricket’s spot in the 2028 Olympics. He continues to emphasise the sport’s global growth and its potential contribution to the Olympic movement.
The decision to include cricket in the 2028 Olympics was made during the 141st International Olympic Committee (IOC) session held in Mumbai in October of last year. The format for the competition will be T20, a fast-paced and popular version of the game that is expected to attract a global audience.
The reintroduction of cricket to the Olympics is a significant milestone, as the sport last featured in the Games in 1900. The planned format for the 2028 Olympics is the T20 format, which is expected to engage fans worldwide and showcase cricket’s dynamic nature on the Olympic stage.
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