“It will bolster our Olympics performance”: Anurag Thakur

New Delhi: Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur has lauded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decision to include cricket and squash along with three other sports in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
“Wonderful News! We welcome the decision by the ongoing 141st IOC Session to include 5 new sports–Baseball/Softball, Cricket (T20), Flag Football, Lacrosse (sixes), and Squash–in the @LA28 Olympics Programme!,” Thakur posted on X.
He referred to the popularity of cricket and also of squash in India. The country won medals in both disciplines in the Asian Games which concluded earlier this month.
“The inclusion of two of Bharat’s most promising and popular sports, Cricket and Squash, is a highly anticipated move in the right direction. With the ongoing stellar performance of the Men’s Cricket team in the #CWC2023 and the fantastic debut of our Women’s and men’s Team at the 19th Asian Games, these sports will receive a significant boost amid their existing popularity.
“The best-ever performance by the Squash Contingent at the Asian Games 2022 with both veterans and young talents carrying forward the legacy of the sport, showcases the bright future of Indian Squash on a global stage. We wholeheartedly appreciate and welcome the IOC’s decision, as it will undoubtedly enhance and bolster our Olympic performance while attracting young talents to these sports. #IOCMumbai2023,” the minister said.
The 2028 Los Angeles event will also include baseball/softball, lacrosse, squash and flag football with the proposal of the organising committee having been accepted at the 141st IOC session being held in Mumbai.
Cricket made its sole appearance at the 1900 Paris Olympics in which Great Britain defeated France in the final. It is now being played in the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.
The IOC session in Mumbai was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday. The session serves as a key meeting of the members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Important decisions regarding the future of the Olympic games are made at the IOC Sessions. India is hosting the IOC session for the second time and after a gap of about 40 years. The IOC’s 86th session was held in New Delhi in 1983.