After the ICC officially announced to bid for cricket’s inclusion in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles and further, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) CEO Tom Harrison has expressed that his board will play a leading role in the induction of cricket in the showpiece event.
“I think we will have a leading role. My chairman Ian Watmore is heading the working committee that is working out on cricket’s inclusion in IOC,” Harrison was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
Harrison also said it will be a massive opportunity for cricket’s growth.
“Personally, it is something which I have been pushing for a very long time. It is a big opportunity for cricket to continue its growth. I feel strongly that the role of governing bodies is to grow and protect their respective sports. I think it is such an exciting opportunity for cricket to stretch beyond its usual traditional values. If there is one criticism you can level at cricket is that we have not managed to take the game to many more new territories. It would be wonderful to have European teams other than England competing at senior levels of cricket for trophies,” Harrison said.
“As I have said before, the beauty of cricket is the game itself. It is a very powerful sport and it carries such a force for good. If we are able to package the game in a way it makes sense to people, they will come running towards it. If we provide a sense of belonging to new nations, the game will do the rest,” he added.
Harrison however, said that the ICC will need to take a call on the format if the development happens. “The format the ICC needs to think about over the coming months,” he said.
The only time when cricket was a part of the Olympics was in 1900 in Paris when Great Britain took on France in a two-day one-off match, which was won by the former.