Mumbai: Cricket is set to be included in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic program along with flag football, baseball and softball. According to reports, the inclusion of cricket in the Olympics will be confirmed at the 141st session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) starting in Mumbai on October 15. It is believed that this will prove to be a big game-changer for India as well. According to a report in the English newspaper ‘The Guardian’, men’s and women’s T20 cricket matches will be played in the 2028 Olympics, opening up a lucrative Asian subcontinent market for the IOC. According to the newspaper, lacrosse and squash can also be proposed as additional sports for the 2028 Summer Games. Earlier, cricket was played only once in the Olympics. In the year 1900, there was a match between England and France for the gold medal in Paris.
By making cricket a part of these games, the IOC can attract South Asian audiences as well as earn huge money from broadcasting deals. Cricket’s entry into the Olympics will also help in increasing the reach of this sport. India is the biggest market for this sport and after its inclusion in the 2028 session, the value of the IOC broadcasting deal in the country will increase significantly. It is believed that the formal announcement of its inclusion in the Olympics can be made in the Mumbai IOC session.
How will cricket’s entry be beneficial?
According to the newspaper, cricket’s entry in the Olympics will also help in increasing the reach of this sport. The newspaper reported that the IOC is expected to get 15.6 million pounds (about one and a half billion rupees) in the broadcasting deal with India for the 2024 Olympics, but after cricket’s inclusion in the 2028 Olympics, this deal could reach 150 million pounds (about 15 billion rupees).
What is IOC session?
The IOC Session is the highest decision-making body of the Olympic Movement. That is, all the important decisions related to the Olympics are taken in the IOC Session. It discusses and decides on the major activities of the Global Olympic Movement, which include adopting or amending the Olympic Charter, electing IOC members and officials, and electing the host city of the Olympics. The IOC Session currently has 99 voting and 43 honorary members. Since the IOC Session is being held in India after 40 years, it is expected that more than 600 members of the sports world and media from 100 countries will attend.
How many votes were received in favour of Mumbai?
In fact, India is going to host the session for the first time since 1983 i.e. after 40 years. Earlier, New Delhi hosted the 86th edition of the IOC session in 1983. The session will be held at the new and modern Jio World Convention Center. An Indian delegation led by Nita Ambani, the first Indian woman to be elected as an IOC member, had put forward a proposal at the 139th IOC session in Beijing in February 2022, after which Mumbai received overwhelming support in favor of its bid with 99% of the votes.
How will India benefit?
The IOC Session in Mumbai will be a watershed moment for Indian sport and will firmly place India on the global sporting map, opening up numerous opportunities for hosting sporting events, world-class training infrastructure, nurturing talent and enriching the lives of millions of Indian athletes. It will also be a significant step towards India’s aspirations of hosting the Youth Olympics and Olympic Games in the future. Reliance Foundation Chairperson Nita Ambani had also expressed the ambition that India will one day host the Olympics after Mumbai was confirmed to host the Olympic Session.
What did Nita Ambani say?
He had said, ‘This will be important for India’s Olympic aspirations and will mark the beginning of a new era for Indian sports. Sports has always been a symbol of hope and inspiration for millions of people around the world. We are one of the youngest countries in the world today and I am excited to see the youth of India embrace and experience the magic of the Olympics firsthand. It is our dream to strengthen this partnership further and host the Olympic Games in India in the coming years.’
Where will the IOC session be held?
Let us tell you that the IOC session will be held at the state-of-the-art Jio World Convention Center in Mumbai. The Jio World Convention Center located in the Bandra Kurla Complex in the middle of the city is India’s largest convention center and it has started in early 2022. The grand theater of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Center will host the opening ceremony, while the IOC session will be held in the exhibition hall.
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Tags: 2028 Olympics, Los Angeles Olympics, Nita Ambani
FIRST PUBLISHED : October 11, 2023, 16:42 IST