LA 2028 Olympics committee proposes the inclusion of five new sports including softball and Lacrosse

The Los Angeles Olympics organizing committee has named five sports to be included at the 2028 Games, including cricket, flag football, lacrosse, squash, and baseball/softball.

The 2028 Games are scheduled to be held in Los Angeles, California, United States from July 14 to July 30, 2028. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board will review the proposal and put it forward for revision at an IOC session that is to be held on Monday, October 16, 2023, in Mumbai, India.

The current IOC reforms permit the host nations to add sports to their edition of the Games. At the 2020 Games in Tokyo, baseball, softball, karate, skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing were added.

For the 2024 Games in Paris, skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing were again approved, with breaking making its Olympic debut. Skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing have been extended for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics while breaking has been excluded from the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Baseball/Softball at the Summer Olympics

Arizona Diamondbacks' Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hits a solo home run during the sixth inning at a baseball NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, in Los Angeles

Baseball was admitted to the 1904 Games as an unofficial sport to only become a recognized Olympic sport at the 1992 Games in Barcelona. It was played as an official sport until 2008 to return back at the 2020 Games for a single appearance.

If the proposal is accepted for the 2028 Games, Baseball will be played for the 15th time. Softball was admitted to the 1996 Games and was an official sport until 2008, only to make a return in the 2020 Games for a single appearance.

Lacrosse, Flag Football, and Squash at the Summer Olympics

Lacrosse was an official event in the Games only twice in the 1904 and 1908 editions. In 1904, three teams competed in Lacrosse, while in 1908, only two teams competed, including Canada and Great Britain.

Squash and flag football will make their debut at the 2028 Games if the IOC gives approval. The World Squash Federation, the governing body of squash is recognized by the IOC, but it has never included the sport in the Games.

Cricket at the Summer Olympics

Virat Kohli plays a shot during the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup match between India and Australia in Chennai, India.

Cricket was scheduled to be admitted at the first international Olympic Games, the 1896 Games which were held in Athens, Greece. It would have been the only team event featured in the 1896 Games but was scrapped due to insufficient entries.

Four years later, Cricket was admitted to the 1900 Games in Paris, where only two countries, including the host country and Great Britain, competed. The Los Angeles organizing committee sent its proposal to include the T20 format for the 2028 Games.

If the proposal to permit cricket for the 2028 Olympics is approved, cricket will return to the biggest sporting event after 128 years.