The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday said that it intends to push for the sport’s return to the Olympics at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
The ICC said it would start preparations on an Olympic campaign to point out “the sport’s inclusion in 2028 would mark the end of a 128-year absence.”
Cricket has appeared once at the Olympics, in Paris in 1900, with the Devon and Somerset Wanderers, representing Britain, beating the only other entrants, a team of British embassy staff appearing as France, by 158 runs in a one-innings match.
Photo: Reuters
ICC chairman Greg Barclay said that the Tokyo Games, which ended on Sunday, had been an inspiration and that cricket’s large fanbase meant it should be invited to the party.
“I would like to congratulate the IOC [International Olympic Committee], Tokyo 2020 and the people of Japan for staging such an incredible Games in such difficult circumstances,” Barclay said in an ICC statement.
“It truly was fantastic to watch and captured the imagination of the world and we would love for cricket to be a part of future Games,” Barclay said.
“We see the Olympics as a part of cricket’s long-term future,” he said. “We have more than a billion fans globally and almost 90 percent of them want to see cricket at the Olympics.”
“Clearly cricket has a strong and passionate fanbase, particularly in South Asia where 92 percent of our fans come from, whilst there are also 30 million cricket fans in the USA,” Barclay said. “The opportunity for those fans to see their heroes competing for an Olympic medal is tantalizing.”
Cricket is to return to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham next year, including a women’s T20 competition, he said.
The sport previously appeared in the Commonwealth Games in 1998 in Malaysia, when South Africa won a 50-over competition.
“The sport will feature in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games next year, which shapes as a perfect showcase for what the sport can bring to the Olympics, as well as being a momentous occasion on its own,” the ICC statement said.
“We know it won’t be easy to secure our inclusion, as there are so many other great sports out there wanting to do the same, but we feel now is the time to put our best foot forward and show what a great partnership cricket and the Olympics are,” Barclay said.
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
TIGHT FINISH: Napoli only needed to do the same as or better than Inter, who won their game against Como 2-0 on the same day, leaving Napoli with a one-point lead The two players who Antonio Conte wanted more than any others secured Napoli their second Serie A title in three years on Friday. Scott McTominay scored with an acrobatic bicycle kick before halftime and Romelu Lukaku doubled the lead with a solo goal after the break in the decisive 2-0 home win over Cagliari. Conte became the first coach to win the Italian championship with three different teams. “Everyone contributed to this — but the coach most of all,” Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo said. “Napoli needed him to get back on top. He’s phenomenal.” Comparing it to his three Serie A titles won
Brighton & Hove Albion’s Jack Hinshelwood on Monday sealed a dramatic 3-2 victory against Liverpool to leave the English Premier League champions without a win since clinching the title. Arne Slot’s side took the lead through Harvey Elliott’s early opener before Yasin Ayari equalized at the American Express Stadium. Dominik Szoboszlai restored Liverpool’s advantage just before halftime, but Brighton staged a late fightback as Kaoru Mitoma leveled before Hinshelwood came off the bench to net with his first touch. Liverpool have taken just one point from their three matches following the title-clinching rout of Tottenham Hotspur on April 27. The Reds have lost at
RSS