The International Cricket Council (ICC) might work with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to add cricket to the Youth Olympics 2030. According to a report by Cricbuzz, this potential collaboration could come after the Indian government announced its bid to host the 2030 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Mumbai, alongside their bid for the 2036 Olympics.
Response from ICC
William Glenwright, ICC’s General Manager of Development, expressed interest in the idea in an email response to Vivek Gopalan. Glenwright said, “It’s a good idea and something we could look at.” The email was also shared with ICC CEO Geoff Allardice and other senior officials.
Gopalan has argued that cricket would be a great addition to the Youth Olympics, especially with Mumbai bidding to host the 2030 YOG. He noted that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has publicly supported India’s bid for both the 2030 YOG and the 2036 Olympics.
PM’s support and focus
Last October, PM Modi mentioned the Youth Olympics during an IOC session in Mumbai. Recently, the Indian government has been concentrating more on the 2036 Olympic bid, a point Modi reiterated during his Independence Day speech.
Arguments for cricket’s inclusion
The email to the ICC official highlights that many major sports, including Rugby Sevens, are part of the YOG. It argues that adding cricket could greatly benefit grassroots cricket globally, especially among ICC Associates. The YOG features athletes aged 15 to 18.
The email also mentions that with the ICC’s strong relationship with the IOC, it might be easier to persuade the IOC to include cricket in the Youth Olympics. Cricket will return to the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028 for the first time since 1900.
Games under YOG
Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Beach volleyball, Boxing, Canoeing, Cycling, Diving, Equestrian, Fencing, Field hockey, Football, Futsal, Golf, Gymnastics, Handball, Judo, Modern pentathlon, Rowing, Rugby Sevens, Sailing, Shooting, Swimming, Table tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Triathlon, Volleyball, Weightlifting and Wrestling are the disciplines that come in YOG.
