Mohammad Shahzad of Afghanistan competes in the cricket men’s semifinal against Pakistan at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, October 6, 2023. /CFP
Mohammad Shahzad of Afghanistan competes in the cricket men’s semifinal against Pakistan at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, October 6, 2023. /CFP
Five new sports, cricket, flag football, lacrosse, squash and baseball-softball were approved by International Olympic Committee (IOC) executive board to be included in the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California, in 2028.
The proposal of the five sports now only requires the final nod at the 141st IOC Session on Sunday before they are officially added to the Olympics.
“These proposals have been accepted as a package by the IOC executive board,” the IOC President Thomas Bach said at the executive board meeting. “Taking into consideration that these proposals and these sports are fully in line with the sports culture of our hosts in 2028, with the American sports culture, they will showcase iconic American sports to the world while bringing at the same time international sports to the United States.”
Baron Davis (R) goes against Matt Barnes at the 5th Annual Athletes vs. Cancer celebrity flag football game hosted by Matt Barnes and Snoop Dogg in Los Angeles, California, August 12, 2018. /CFP
Baron Davis (R) goes against Matt Barnes at the 5th Annual Athletes vs. Cancer celebrity flag football game hosted by Matt Barnes and Snoop Dogg in Los Angeles, California, August 12, 2018. /CFP
Lin Li of Chinese Taipei hits during the ninth inning in the baseball men’s final against South Korea at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, October 7, 2023. /CFP
Lin Li of Chinese Taipei hits during the ninth inning in the baseball men’s final against South Korea at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, October 7, 2023. /CFP
Alaiza Talisik of the Philippines hits in the softball women’s bronze medal game against Chinese Taipei at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, October 2, 2023. /CFP
Alaiza Talisik of the Philippines hits in the softball women’s bronze medal game against Chinese Taipei at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, October 2, 2023. /CFP
The last time cricket was played in the Olympic Games was in Paris in 1900. A six-team Twenty20 cricket tournament, which is a short format of the game, is proposed for the LA Games.
“We see the growing popularity of cricket, particularly the T20 format,” Bach said. “We are ready to welcome the world’s best players of cricket to perform in the United States in 2028.”
Flag football, as a less violent version of American Football, will be a 5-on-5 competition on a 50-yard field. There won’t be offensive of defensive linemen on either side. Tackles will be made by pulling a flag off a belt worn by each player.
Reilly Gray (L) of Notre Dame University takes a shot on goal in the NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship game against Duke University at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, May 29, 2023. /CFP
Reilly Gray (L) of Notre Dame University takes a shot on goal in the NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship game against Duke University at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, May 29, 2023. /CFP
Dipika Pallikal Karthik (L) of India and Aifa Binti Azman of Malaysia compete in the squash mixed doubles final at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, October 5, 2023. /CFP
Dipika Pallikal Karthik (L) of India and Aifa Binti Azman of Malaysia compete in the squash mixed doubles final at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, October 5, 2023. /CFP
Both baseball and softball were Olympic events before but baseball was dropped in London in 2012 and in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Neither will be part of the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024.
Lacrosse was contested as a medal event at two editions of the Olympics, in St. Louis in 1904 and in London in 1908. It was also part of the Amsterdam Games in 1928, the Los Angeles Games in 1932 and the London Games in 1948 as a demonstration event.
Squash has never been played at the Olympic Games. It was added to the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires as a demonstration event in 2018.
