The International Cricket Council (ICC) is actively pursuing the inclusion of cricket in the 2030 Youth Olympics. According to reports from Cricbuzz, it has been revealed that the governing body is collaborating with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to integrate the sport into the prestigious event.
The ICC is particularly motivated to add cricket to the Youth Olympics following India’s announcement last year of its intention to bid for hosting the 2030 Youth Olympic Games (YOG). This interest follows cricket’s inclusion in the Olympics for 2028, which is set to be held in Los Angeles.
William Glenwright, the ICC’s General Manager of Development, responded positively to an email from Vivek Gopalan. As per Cricbuzz, the ICC official remarked, “It’s a good idea and something we could look at.” Gopalan also ensured that CEO Geoff Allardice, Wasim Khan, Claire Furlong, and Chris Tetley were copied on his message.
Cricbuzz reports that Gopalan emphasized the significance of cricket in the Youth Olympics, potentially taking place in Mumbai. He noted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s enthusiasm for hosting the youth Olympics, stating:
“There is a strong case for cricket at the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) with Mumbai bidding to host the 2030 YOG. No less a person than Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has now publicly proclaimed India’s desire to host both the 2030 YOG and 2036 Olympics.”
In October last year, Prime Minister Modi hinted at the possibility of hosting the Youth Olympic Games while speaking at an IOC session in Mumbai. The government is also eager to pursue a bid for the 2036 Olympic Games, a topic the Prime Minister mentioned during his Independence Day address.
The email sent to the ICC regarding cricket’s inclusion in the Youth Olympics raised several questions about the absence of cricket in the lineup of other major sports. The email stated:
“All top sports, including Rugby Sevens, are part of the YOG. Why not cricket? Including cricket in the YOG would revolutionize grassroots cricket globally, especially among the ICC Associates.”
“Now that the ICC has formed strong ties with the IOC, and since the IOC recognizes that the ‘cricket brand’ can enhance the ‘Olympic Brand’, it should not be a challenging task to persuade the IOC to include cricket as a core sport in the Youth Olympics.”
