Afghanistan’s participation in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles is under the International Olympic Council’s (IOC) jurisdiction, not the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) confirmed by Geoff Allardice. Cricket will be part of the Olympic Games for the first time in more than 100 years after its inclusion at Los Angeles 2028
Geoff Allardice, the CEO of the International Cricket Council (ICC), made this statement in response to the plight of the Afghan women cricket players who were forced into exile following the Taliban’s resurgence in power in 2021.
The IOC approved the inclusion of T20 cricket in the LA28 Olympics in October. T20 cricket is a popular sport among younger audiences and Commonwealth countries. The decision was influenced by the potential for the sport to expand into new markets, like as the US. The ICC’s suggested six-team structure for the men’s and women’s competitions was accepted by the IOC.
“In terms of the position of the National Olympic Committee of Afghanistan, it’s probably something for the IOC to be able to address more accurately than me. But I know that they (IOC) have been following the progress or the developments there. Our position on cricket and supporting our member in Afghanistan is not dissimilar to those of other international sporting organizations,” Geoff Allardice told BBC about Afghanistan’s presence in the Olympics.
The LA28 and ICC hope to have a team qualification process and a competitive system in place by 2025. Given that both men and women usually compete in individual and team sports at the Olympics, it is clear that the LA28 organizers are committed to promoting gender equality.
But as of right now, Afghanistan‘s women’s cricket squad is not playing. Since the Taliban took over in August 2021, 22 of the 25 contracted players on the team have relocated abroad. Still, there is a chance that the men’s team will compete in the competition in 2028.
The IOC’s executive board approved the package of five additional sports that the LA LOCOG suggested earlier last month. The sports included squash, baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse, and cricket. Just two IOC members voted against the inclusion of all five sports, while others supported the decision to include the sports in the Olympics.
Cricket has a unique opportunity to attract new audiences as three billion people are predicted to watch the Olympic Games on TV and other platforms. This will attract a new generation of cricket enthusiasts and enthusiasts and further enhance cricket’s global appeal.
