Squash and Cricket among five additional sports proposed for Los Angeles 2028 Olympics

Squash and cricket are among the five sports that have been proposed by the LA28 Organising Committee for inclusion at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028, pending approval from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The other sports proposed include baseball-softball, flag football (a limited-contact version of American football) and lacrosse.

Following its discussion of the LA28's proposal, the IOC's Olympic Program Commission will issue a recommendation to the IOC Executive Board (EB). If the recommendation is accepted, the IOC EB will present the proposal to the 141st IOC Session in Mumbai, India (15th-17th October).

If approved, the final event program and number of athlete quotas in the additional sports will be finalised in the future.

Squash Australia welcomed the announcement with Robert Donaghue, Squash Australia Chief Executive, sharing “this is one of the most significant announcements in the history of Squash.

“For most sports and athletes, the Olympic Games is the pinnacle, and for squash to be elevated to that status will be a momentous occasion. We eagerly await the outcome of the IOC Congress in Mumbai later this week.

“The opportunity to represent Australia at LA2028 would be an enormous honour, and for squash athletes, they can now dream of this opportunity! This will also inspire the next generation of squash stars who can aspire to compete at an Olympic Games.”

International Cricket Council (ICC) Chairman, Greg Barclay was cautiously optimistic about the addition of the sport, two years on from the governing body announcing it would bid to have the sport included at the Olympics.

Barclay noted "we are delighted that LA28 have recommended cricket for inclusion in the Olympics. Whilst this is not the final decision, it is a very significant landmark towards seeing cricket at the Olympics for the first time in more than a century."

Of the five proposed sports, three have previously been sports contested at the Olympic Games: baseball-softball (1992–2008 and 2020), cricket (1900), and lacrosse (1904 and 1908).

Unlike its only previous appearance at the Paris 1900 Games, cricket will not be contested as a two-innings-a-side competition. Instead, the proposal foresees a limited-overs Twenty20 format for the event.

The proposed format for lacrosse is Lacrosse Sixes. Lacrosse appeared in consecutive Games in the early 20th century, with Canada winning both gold medals awarded in the sport.

Baseball-softball, meanwhile, was most recently included on the Olympic programme at Tokyo 2020 in 2021, where hosts Japan won both gold medals.

LA28 Chairperson, Casey Wasserman advised “LA28’s proposed sports ignite the imagination on the field of play and drive culture off it. They’re relevant, innovative and community-based, played in backyards, schoolyards, community centres, stadiums and parks across the U.S. and the globe.

“They will bring new athletes to the Games, engage diverse fanbases and expand the Games’ presence in digital spaces, further amplifying LA28’s mission to deliver an unparalleled experience.”

The framework set by Olympic Agenda 2020, Olympic Agenda 2020+5, and Rule 45 of the Olympic Charter gives flexibility to review the Olympic programme for each edition of the Games in order to introduce innovation and sustainability and promote gender equality.

Tokyo 2020 (baseball-softball, karate, skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing), Paris 2024 (breaking, skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing), and Milano Cortina 2026 (ski mountaineering) have each included additional sports on the Olympic programme under this framework.

With five team sports pushing numbers up significantly other sports in 2028 may have to trim the number of disciplines to help the IOC adhere to their limit of 10,500 athletes at a Summer Olympics.

Images: Squash is set for inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympi Games (top, credit: Squash Australia) and despite cricket having an increasingly full calendar, it is also set for inclusion at LA28 in a Twenty20 format (below, credit: ICC/Facebook).