The International Cricket Council (ICC) has laid down a proposal for cricket’s inclusion in the Olympics with a large focus on India-centric audio-visual presentation. The proposal paper has put a special emphasis on the billion-plus fans of India and global icons like Virat Kohli and Mithali Raj.
The virtual presentation was made last week where ICC tried to bring attention on the fact that cricket’s inclusion in Los Angeles Olympic Games, 2028 can bring billion new fans.
It’s to be noted that ICC focused on Kohli and Mithali, keeping in view that both are quite popular in the sporting world.
Kohli has around 216 million followers on Instagram alone.
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Apart from the Kohli and Mithali factor, ICC also highlighted that cricket connects the Olympics with South Asia and it would bring enormous commercial opportunity that the region can offer to the Games.
As a matter of record, presentation was made to LA28 and not the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Along with cricket, eight other international federations (IF) are running in the race to get included in LA28 organisers. Karate, baseball, softball, kickboxing, squash, American football, Lacrosse and break-dancing are in the list.
However, the disciplines will be added on the basis of the value they can bring to the global sporting spectacle.
The presentations were initially to be made over a month ago but could be done only last week. The decisions on the inclusion of the above sporting games will be made in IOC meeting scheduled in Mumbai in mid-2023.
According to a report in the American media, “the shortlisted IFs had to meet certain criteria outlined by LA28 and the IOC, in areas such as environmental sustainability, universality, gender equality, integrity and fairness, popularity and host country interest, athlete safety and cost and complexity.”
The ICC statement read, “The review process for potential new sports for the LA28 Olympic sport program is ongoing. We are continuing to learn more ahead of the sport proposal submission to the IOC next year.”
Reportedly, it’s not mandatory to include a new discipline but it’s also not against the Olympics’ rules. However, it is to be noted that the new entrants will have to fit the cap of 10,500 athletes quota fixed by the IOC.
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