ICC’s attempts to take cricket global has taken a major hit after IOC rejected their Olympics bid. Cricket was among 9 sports in contention for a spot in the Los Angeles Olympics but ICC failed to make a ‘strong pitch’. Now, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah has been handed the responsibility to mark Cricket’s return in the 2032 Brisbane Games.
The International Olympics Committee has rejected ICC’s claim for cricket to be included at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. The board has conveyed the same to the ICC, continuing a 122-year absence in the biggest sporting event. Making the Olympics is one of ICC’s biggest goals and the cricket body has taken drastic steps. As per reports, Cricket’s pitch to be at the Olympics was ‘a pretty weak one’.
A new Olympics committee has been set up in response to LA Olympics’ rejection. BCCI Secretary Jay Shah will head the team and make a fresh pitch for the 2023 Brisbane Olympics. This follows Shah’s recent promotion to the chair of the finance and commercial affairs committee. He is also the president of the Asian Cricket Council.
Cricket has only featured once at the 1900 Paris Olympic Games, with Great Britain and hosts France as the only participants. The sport marked a return to the Commonwealth Games in the women’s T20 format. The T10 format is being considered an option for the Olympics. However, unlike the Commonwealth Games, a sporting event should be for both men and women at the Olympics.
Last year in August, the IOC shortlisted cricket for a review along with eight other sporting disciplines. The other eight sports in consideration for the showpiece event are baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse, break dancing, karate, kickboxing, squash, and motorsport.
Courtesy – InsideSport
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