ICC Chair meets IOC President to discuss key LA 2028 initiatives for cricket

Lausanne [Switzerland], January 22 (ANI): International Cricket Council (ICC) Chairman Jay Shah has held discussions with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach and other senior officials from the IOC this week and attended an LA 2028 International Federations seminar at the Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The ICC Chair was also joined by ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice, with the meeting focusing on key areas of collaboration between the ICC and the IOC in the build-up to the LA 2028 Olympic Games.
This was the first time Shah was meeting with Bach and they explored potential avenues for collaboration in promoting the Olympic values of excellence, friendship, and respect within the cricketing world.
It is an exciting time for cricket with tremendous opportunities to engage with existing and new fans ahead of the LA 2028 Games, paving the way for potential future collaborations with the Olympic movement that will benefit athletes, fans, and the global sporting community.
ICC Chair, Jay Shah said, "We were delighted to meet with Thomas Bach and IOC officials, it was a productive meeting and an important milestone on the road to LA 2028. The inclusion of cricket in the Olympic Games represents a watershed moment for our sport and a real opportunity for transformative growth for 2028 and beyond," as quoted from a release by ICC.
"We discussed a range of critical issues and continued to build relationships with our friends across the Olympic movement. We look forward to the next three and half years working in collaboration with the IOC and LA 2028," he added.
Cricket is set to make its return to the Olympic Games in the 2028 Los Angeles edition. This marks the sport's re-entry into the Olympics after a hiatus of 128 years. Cricket last featured in the 1900 Paris Olympics, where Great Britain won the gold medal by defeating France in the final.
The decision to include cricket in the 2028 Olympics was made during the 141st International Olympic Committee (IOC) session held in Mumbai in October last year. The format for the competition will be T20, a fast-paced and popular version of the game, that is expected to attract a global audience.
Cricket's reintroduction to the Olympics follows its successful return to the Asian Games in Hangzhou last year, where it was included for the first time since 2014.
The Asian Games featured a multi-nation T20 tournament for both men's and women's teams. India dominated the event, securing gold medals in both categories. In the men's tournament, Afghanistan and Bangladesh took home silver and bronze medals respectively, while in the women's tournament, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh won silver and bronze. (ANI)