IOC Session gives approval to cricket's inclusion in Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028

Mumbai, Oct 16 (IANS) Cricket in the T20 format will return to the Olympic Games for the first time since 1932 when Los Angeles hosts the mega event in 2028.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Monday gave its final approval for the inclusion of T20 cricket as an additional sport in the Los Angeles Olympic Games.

The 141st Session of IOC in Mumbai gave unanimous approval for the inclusion of five additional sports -- cricket, squash, baseball and softball, flag football and lacrosse -- in the sports programme of the Los Angeles Olympic Games. 

Only two out of the 99 members that have gathered in Mumbai for the IOC Session opposed the move while two more abstained from the vote, making it a near-unanimous approval for the package to be included in the 2028 Olympic Games.

The members did express concern over the limited exposure to these sports in the majority of the IOC members and also the impact of these additional sports on the overall quota on participating sportspersons. The IOC session was informed that the inclusion of these five sports will take the total number of participants to 11.092 as against the 10,500 that the IOC would like to limit to.

The Session was informed that the IOC's Sports Programme Commission will sit down with the International Federation related to the additional sports and the traditional sports to bring down the number.