New Delhi: The International Cricket Council (ICC) is pushing for an Olympic return of the sport, probably with the T20 variant, in the 2024 edition. But the ICC's hopes hinge on India. Because, without the Indian cricket board's approval, the cricket's international body can't dare to make the bid.
India, a cricketing super-power, will benefit from the sport's inclusion in the Olympics, specially considering how the country is desperately seeking to increase the medal count in world's greatest sporting spectacle.
But Indian cricket teams' participation in Olympics, even if the ICC gets the winning bid, will be decided only by the general body of the all-powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which in all likelihood won't change its present stance of not taking part as they don't want to follow the Olympic charter.
A decision in this regard was taken during a meeting between BCCI's office bearers and the Committee of Administrators (COA) on Wednesday.
"The matter (Olympics participation) is still being discussed and it will go to the general body," COA member Diana Edulji told mediapersons today.
It's a foregone conclusion that, the BCCI general body would give a thumbs down to India's participation in Olympics as it would mean that they would be counted as National Sports Federation with players needing to sign WADA's whereabouts clause (the Indian players are completely against it).
Cricket was last played in the Olympics in the 1900 Paris Games. And it seems like, there will be no cricket in Olympics for some time.
As expected, ICC's bid to join the Olympic fold was accepted with goodwill but the International Olympic Council (IOC) has categorically made it clear to there has to be an assurance of the top teams and players participating in the event to get the bid.
