The ICC has yet to lose hope of appearing as an “additional sport” at the 2028 Olympics.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has not given up hope for cricket among the “additional sports” to be played at the 2028 Los Angeles Games in Los Angeles after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) began the process of identifying basic sports for the big sports show.

The COI on Thursday named 28 sports for the 2028 Olympics in the “initial program” for the 2028 Olympics to find a place in those skateboarding, surfing and sport climbing. Boxing, weightlifting and modern pentathlon were left out and the relevant international federations have been given a deadline of 2023 to meet certain criteria to secure a place in the 2028 Games.

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The list will be voted on at the COI meeting in Beijing next February for approval, which is likely to be a formality.

The host city of Los Angeles may also propose additional sports in 2023 to enter the 2028 Games, and the ICC expects cricket to be among the sports to get COI approval.

There could be a version of baseball, softball, and American football to bid for additional sports at the 2028 Olympics. “The process of selecting additional sports for host cities will begin next year (2023) and we hope to be part of that cricket,” said a member of the ICC Council who is aware of the process. PTI on condition of anonymity.

“We know it’s going to be tough (to include cricket as an additional sport). There’s no guarantee and we’re up against other great sports to try to get a place in the 2028 LA Games.”

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In August, the ICC announced its intention to bid to enter the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, as BCCI also had the backing of the world’s richest table.

The ICC has also set up an Olympic Team, which will work to participate in the Olympic Games from 2028 onwards.

“Our sport is one behind this offer, and we see the Olympics as part of the long-term future of cricket. We have more than a billion fans around the world, and almost 90% of them want to watch cricket at the Olympics, “said then-ICC President Greg Barclay.

In 2024, the COI will decide on the additional sports proposed by the organizers of LA Games. After Tokyo and Paris (2024), the Los Angeles Olympics will be the third host and will offer additional sports in its program.

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Six new sports (baseball, softball, karate, skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing) were presented as complementary sports at the Tokyo Olympics. Surfing and break-dancing will be among the additional sports at the 2024 Paris Games.

Host cities were allowed to propose additional sports as part of the COI’s “Agenda 2020” reforms so that host countries could showcase the most played sports through the Olympics.

Until 2016, there was a limit of 28 sports in the Olympic program, but the COI removed it in a 2014 decision. Now, each summer Olympics will be limited to 10,500 athletes and 310 events.

The IOC has a list of major sports that have almost always been at the Olympics.