Cricket in the 2028 Olympics (Los Angeles)

[Victorian]

Ray’s right. I happened to see highlights the other day of the European T10 from a few months ago and Spain beat Ireland XI. Obviously not the real Ireland team but still…CC have got to use ODI and T20 WC funding to establish pathways and high performance competition or they’ll have squandered the opportunity.

[ray]

It's official. Cricket returns for the Los Angeles Olympiad. It will surely increase cricket's visibility worldwide though it remains to be seen in which countries the game grows. It may be more of a boost to women's game.

Apparently, the new sports will be re-evaluated before inclusion for subsequent Olympics but with Australia the host for '32 and India likely for '36 it looks likely cricket is here for a while.

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/cric ... 28-1403570

[timmyj51]

LA Olympics almost five years out. Much more important is next years WC. Will
see what kind of response this gets with mainstream Americans. Still believe
"Team USA" will get free pass in 2028 so we'll have to endure the farce of
weekenders playing India, OZ, England, etc., not to mention one full member
denied their Olympic dreams.

[ray]

Olympic participation - check
Pan American Games - ???

Will the region's cricket boards and ICC Americas make a push for including cricket in this hemisphere's biggest multi-sport competition? Why not? Surely lacrosse will try for inclusion. Cricket must as well. Have they already done so?

This article seems to think it is already happening, though I haven't yet seen any confirmation.
https://buenosairesherald.com/sports/cr ... a-comeback

Argentina is still a long way from competing at the biggest stages, but with cricket becoming an Olympic sport for LA 2028, it will also be played at the 2027 Pan American Games. There, the AAC hopes the Albiceleste‘s South American dominance will bring the sport to the front pages once again.

Even if Colombia 2027 is not on the cards, starting the discussion for cricket's inclusion should start now.

[ray]

• The ICC's initial proposal for the LA28 competition is men's and women's 6-team tournaments running consecutively.
• India's participation is guaranteed both on merit and because the IOC's cricket adventure is based on tapping into the Indian market.
• It could be a bit strange if West Indies qualify based on ranking, only to send a weaker regional side as their representative(s).
• With only 6 teams involved, it is difficult to see how the USA is involved unless it is absolutely mandated by the IOC. Having said that, the Olympics are the ICC's biggest opportunity toward the goal of promoting the sport in the American market and yet the tournament would go mostly ignored in the American press if the host country does not take part.

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/olym ... gb-1447258

[timmyj51]

ICC HAS--repeat, HAS--to let in "Team USA." Otherwise this Olympic cricket gig
will be as big a bust in America as the World Cup was.

[ray]

6 team tournaments for both men and women at the '28 Games. Maybe 5 + USA and likely 4 + USA + India. Would not be surprising to see berths awarded by T20 ranking. However, ICC will eventually have to allow a qualifier to give Associates a chance. Otherwise, countries will not be able to tap into their respective government Olympic funding and there will be complaints from the IOC.

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/cric ... at-1480536

[timmyj51]

Still no mention of location. LA28 has set locations for all their
sports EXCEPT cricket.

[ray]

Cricket's Olympic return being felt already ?
Czarsportz seems to think cricket will be part of the 2027 Pan American Games:

Cricket has been part of The Pacific Games, The South East Asian Games (SEA), The South Asian Games, The Africa Games and is going to take place in the The Pan American Games in 2027 as well. #LA28

Still looking for confirmation but Olympic inclusion means it is a near certainty cricket will eventually join the America's major multi sport event. For Canada, PanAm participation would be important for Sport Canada funding.

It is reasonable to think there would be some sub-regional competitions necessary to determine participation in the Games. If the competition was solely merit-based, the West Indies nations would be the only PanAm participants. The PanAm Games national boards would not support cricket in that case.

https://iriefm.net/cwi-and-canoc-delega ... can-games/