Los Angeles 2028 Olympics: five new sports proposed

Five new sports have been proposed by the LA28 Organizing Committee for inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, pending International Olympic Committee approval. The sports in question are baseball-softball, cricket, flag football (a limited-contact version of American football), lacrosse and squash. The LA28 proposal now passes to the IOC Olympic Program Commission, which will discuss it and make a recommendation to the IOC Executive Board (EB). If the recommendation is accepted, the IOC Executive Board will present the proposal at the 141st IOC Session in Mumbai, India (15-17 October).

Plan

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If approved, the final event schedule and number of athlete quotas in additional sports will be finalized in the future. Of the five proposed sports, three have previously been contested at the Olympic Games: baseball-softball (1992-2008 and 2020), cricket (1900) and lacrosse (1904 and 1908). Unlike their only previous appearance at the 1900 Paris Games, the cricket will not be played in two innings per side. The proposal instead calls for a Twenty20 format for the event with a limited number of overs. The proposed format for lacrosse is Lacrosse Sixes. Lacrosse appeared in consecutive editions of the Games in the early 20th century, with Canada winning both gold medals awarded in the sport. Baseball-softball, however, was recently included in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic program, where Japan, the hosts, won both gold medals. “The sports offered by LA28 ignite the imagination on the playing field and promote culture beyond it. They are relevant, innovative and community-based, played in backyards, schoolyards, community centers, stadiums and parks across the United States and the world,” said LA28 President Casey Wasserman who he continued: “They will bring new athletes to the Games, engage diverse fans and expand the Games’ presence in digital spaces, further amplifying LA28’s mission to deliver an unparalleled experience.”

The 28 sports

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The five proposed sports will join the 28 Olympic sports in the initial LA28 sports program announced by the IOC in February 2022, including aquatic sports, archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, canoeing, cycling, equestrian, fencing, football , golf, gymnastics, handball, hockey, judo, rowing, rugby, sailing, shooting, skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, triathlon, volleyball and wrestling.