Page 40 - aips-IV-23.indd

FEATURES
IOC PRESIDENT THOMAS BACH
“LA28 additional sports are fully
in line with the American sports
culture”
By Chibuogwu Nnadiegbulam
AIPS Media
Flag football, baseball/softball, cricket, lacrosse and squash, the five additional sports proposed by the 2028 Los Angeles Olym-
pics organisers for their edition of the Games, were reviewed and approved “as a package” at the 141st Session of the International Olympic Committee in
Meanwhile, among the three core sports that were in 2021 left out of the “initial programme” for the 2028 Games, two, weightlifting and modern pentathlon, fulfilled what was required of them to secure their places, while the decision on boxing remains on hold as the sport currently has no IOC-recog- nised international federation.
AMERICAN SPORTS CULTURE The
“I can maybe reveal a secret that it did not take anything to convince them. The first idea came up and in the din- ner I shared with Casey Wasserman (Chairman of LA 2028) on the occa- sion of the Athletics World Champi- onships in Eugene last year and there Casey saw already the great potential and was highlighting it himself so there was not much work to do, if any.”
Bach explained that the growing pop- ularity of cricket around the world, especially the T20 format, as well as the growing Indian community in the US make the inclusion of cricket very attractive for LA and the Olympic Movement. Cricket will be returning to the Olympics aftfter a 128-year absence. It was played at the 1900 Olympics in Paris, when just two countries, England and France, played the lone match. "ThThis is a win-win situation. ThThe Olym- pic Games will give cricket the global stage to grow beyond the traditional cricket countries and regions
FLAG FOOTBALL, LACROSSE AND SQUASH When asked about what im- pact the inclusion of flflag football, la- crosse - which last appeared in 1908 - and squash would have, Bach replied: “We have seen these three sports at the World Games and as you know the IOC has a close cooperation and an MoU with the World Games and all these three sports had very successful perfor- mances at the World Games. On top of it they are reflflecting difffferent areas of American culture and sports culture. If you look at lacrosse, it’s the sport, if I may say, of the First Nations of the US. Squash has had signifificant growth in the
O
t
O
.
c
c
t
t
o
o
b
b
e
e
r
2
r
2
40 | AIPSMAGAZINE
0
0
2
2
3
3
,
i
n
M
,
i
n
M
u
u
m
m
b
b
a
a
i
i
,
I
,
I
n
n
d
d
ia
i
a
.
I
t ThThomas Bach said the
I
a
use: “ThThese sports are
b
b
s
nited States.”
s
O
O
ac
f
ith the American sports
f
c
will showcase an iconic
c
A
rts to the world, while e same time international
H
Their inclusion will on
l
communities in the US ”
le
a
c
u
u
u
u
Am
e
r
r
p
p
He
t
nd allow the Olympic
th
M
o engage with new ath-
M
an
C
CK
CR
c
c
l
ll
t
t
R
i
i
e
a
he
C
CP
l
l
l
m
e
o
e
e
y
y
i
t
t
n
n
o
o
o
e
e
nd
d
g
I
I
r
r
ov
s
s
a
p
p
u
u
e
e
g
gi
v
C
t
t
P
r
t
r
r
r
t
i
i
s
s
t
ad
o
e
e
a
gl
n
n
d
t
t
KE
c
Bach was asked at the press conference how he “managed to persuade LA to accept cricket” as it is not a big sport in America, and what it means for the IOC.
cr
r
r
e
ed
n
n
l
e
e
i
i
.
.
Th
c
c
t
n
n
lo
o
e
e
d
b
g
g
a
o
o
t
d
d
h
he
m
m
ET
r
l
a
a
e
e
e
e
e
d
d
f
b
b
T
T
R
arding the inclusion of
i
i
c
c
s
s
i
i
i
i
n
n
Th
n
n
s
a
t
d
d
r
r
h
n
n
a
a
k
k
d
d
b
t
t
t
h
h
f
:
:
“
t
t
t
l
f
f
t
e
e
w
e
e
e
e
e
e
sp
t
e
e
U
a
a
ll
l
R
e
e
t
t
n
n
p
he LA28 organisers was
pr
r
o
o
p
p
o
o
s
s
a
a
l
l
o
o
t
c
c
w
y
y
w
p
h
h
h
e
e
,
,
t
n
n
y
y
.
.
h
a
a
o
o
e
U
“
Th
a
a
o
”
g
g
u
i
r
n
n
c
a
B
LEFT: IOC President Thomas Bach
PHOTO BY TULLIO M. PUGLIA/GETTY IMAGES