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Cricket handed Olympic lifeline
Cricket
has moved a step closer to returning to the Olympic Games after
the International Olympic Committee provisionally recognised the
sport.
It has been brought back into the Olympic movement for the first
time since the Paris Games of 1900.
However, the earliest cricket could feature would be in 2020.
“Maybe one day it will be right for cricket to return to the
Olympic programme,” said International Cricket Council president
Ray Mali.
“This is great news for cricket, the Olympic movement is instantly
recognisable around the world and for cricket to be a part of that
again has to be a good thing.
“Our goal has been to become an international federation that
is recognised by the IOC and we are pleased to have achieved this
target.
“We want to play an active role in the Olympic movement and
we will be looking at ways in which we can work with the IOC for
the benefit of cricket, sport and society in general.”
The provisional status is for an initial two-year period, after
which sports bodies can seek full recognition and apply for inclusion
in the Olympics.
If given full status in two years time, cricket would then be able
to be considered for a place at the Games when the IOC review the
programme for 2020 after the 2012 Olympics in London.
“The important thing is that this is the first step for the
federation to be able to apply for inclusion into the Olympic programme,”
said an IOC spokeswoman.
The England and Wales Cricket Board began a campaign three years
ago to have Twenty20 cricket included in future Olympics, prior
to London being awarded the 2012 Games.
The last time cricket was last part of the Olympics, Great Britain
beat France to take the gold medal. [BBC]
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