October 09, (THEWILL) – Los Angeles has proposed the addition of five new sports for the 2028 Olympic Games programme – baseball, softball, cricket, flag football and lacrosse. The International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board will review the suggestions before they are voted on at the 141st IOC Session in Mumbai, India, on October 15.
LA2028 Chief executive, Kathy Carter, said the aim was to “challenge the status quo and think differently” when deciding which sports to put forward. She emphasised the focus was on choosing competitions that are fiscally responsible and will “energise the Games”.
The two sports on the list, which have previously featured at the Olympics – cricket and lacrosse – engendered delight. Cricket, proposed in the Twenty20 format, was last contested in 1900. Lacrosse officially appeared in 1904 and 1908.
Squash and flag football would be completely new Olympic sports if approved. World Squash Federation President, Zena Wooldridge, said it was a “significant and exciting milestone” for the sport to be put forward. Baseball and softball returned to the programme in Tokyo after a 12-year absence and have now been suggested again for Los Angeles.
LA2028 chair Casey Wasserman said the five proposed sports would attract new audiences and expand the Games’ digital reach. The final decision will be made by IOC members in Mumbai in the coming days.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
