Cricket, flag football, lacrosse, squash and baseball-softball, the five sports proposed for inclusion in the Los Angeles Olympic program from 2028, were approved by the International Olympic Committee’s Executive Committee at a meeting in Mumbai on Friday (India), reports Reuters.

Olympic Games, logoPhoto: CTK / Alamy / Alamy / Profimedia

Cricket, flag football, lacrosse, squash and baseball-softball included in the program of the Olympics in Los Angeles

The organizers of the 2028 Games announced last week that they want to include these disciplines in the program of the California Olympics.

According to IOC rules, each host city can request the inclusion of multiple sports for the edition it hosts.

“The proposals were accepted by the IOC Executive Committee as a package” – Thomas Bach, IOC President.

The IOC session, which begins in Mumbai on Sunday, will have to ratify the Executive Committee’s recommendation.

Five sports have ensured their presence at the single edition of the Games and hope to give them the impetus to develop and gain even more popularity in order to remain attractive for the Olympic Games, writes Agerpres.

Know:

  • Cricket, highly regarded in India and with a growing global audience, is set to return to the Olympic program after making one appearance in 1900 in Paris.
  • Flag football is a five-on-one, non-contact form of American football.
  • Baseball has been present at several Olympic Games, returning for the 2020 Olympics after being left out in 2012 and 2016, but will not be at next year’s Games in Paris.
  • Softball, the women’s version of baseball, has appeared in five previous Summer Olympics and will not be in Paris either.
  • Lacrosse is a team sport that originated in Native American culture.

This brings the number of sports on the 2028 Olympic program to a record 36, but the IOC must at the same time confirm the retention of some disciplines, such as modern pentathlon and weightlifting, while delaying a decision on boxing.

“We want boxing in the Olympic program. We have no problems with boxing or boxers, only a big problem with the international federation” – Thomas Bach.

The IOC has withdrawn its recognition of the International Boxing Federation (IBA) after a cascade of scandals and is waiting to see whether World Boxing, a new body made up of dissident national federations, will gather enough support to replace it.