Why Is Cricket Not In The Olympics?
Cricket is one of the most widely played games globally, although the Olympics do not include it. In one of the earlier iterations of the quadrennial event, which took place more than a century ago, it did participate. On the other hand, Cricket could not make a significant effect and was consequently removed from the Olympics.
In 1900, the city of Paris hosted the Olympic Games, and one of the sports played there was Cricket.
The experiment was not successful. Cricket was never allowed to be played in the Olympics again for several reasons, one of which was because the vast majority of countries worldwide do not participate in the sport.
The sport of Cricket does have a sizable following, and in that respect, it is likely only second to soccer in terms of popularity. On the other hand, it does not appear to have benefited the sport in any way about its inclusion in the Olympics.
Although Cricket is played in 105 nations worldwide, only a select few teams are given the classification of Test. In addition, the World Cup, considered the most important competition in the sport, only involves a maximum of 10 to 12 teams.
Cricket's only appearance at the Olympics
In 1896, when the first modern Olympics were held in Athens, the sport of Cricket was included as one of the competitions. The competition was canceled because it could not attract enough competitors.
On the other hand, Great Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, and France were all set to participate in the Games held in Paris in 1900. The situation evolved after Belgium and the Netherlands made withdrawals from the Games. The match between France and Great Britain ended with France coming out on the losing end.
Several factors are working against Cricket's inclusion.
Cricket may have a large following worldwide, but it has not been successful in gaining popularity in the countries that traditionally dominate the Olympic Games.
The fact that the host nations are not cricketing either hasn't helped the cause of Cricket to be included in the famous event that happens every four years.
The length of the match is another aspect that works against Cricket's chances of being included in the Olympics. The past ten years have seen a revolution in Twenty20 Cricket, but larger versions of the game need too much time and effort to be played on a major scale in the Summer Games.
The cost of staging a cricket tournament in the Olympics is one of the reasons the sport is not played there. Long matches that need a lot of technical help and have very few countries interested in witnessing the sport are not a fantastic addition to any event. This is because very few countries are interested in watching the sport.
The sport of Cricket is already subject to a significant amount of pressure to popularize all three versions concurrently. The fact that Cricket has to fight with several forms in addition to competing against other sports that don't have to deal with this problem is a drawback for Cricket's inclusion in the Olympics.
The current situation is still very discouraging for new nations who are considering entering the arena of international Cricket. However, the game might eventually gain popularity since many nations are beginning to appreciate the sport.
While the cash-rich boards of India, England, Australia, and New Zealand steal the limelight with expensive tours and tournaments, cash-strapped boards and associate nations are only getting to play a few games.
How can Cricket be a part of the Olympics?
Cricket is now submitting a request to be included in the Olympic Games, even though the sport is not already part of the quadrennial event.
A country that will hold the Olympics and has a culture of Cricket can request to have the sport included in the games, but any decision made in this regard will not be binding on the nation that will host the next Olympic Games.
That being said, even if Paris puts in a bid to include Cricket in the Olympic Games of 2024, it does not necessarily follow that Los Angeles, which will be the host city for the event in 2028, will be required to include the sport.
Should the International Olympic Committee decide to become involved and provide major money, the sport has the potential to become a staple at the Olympic Games.
However, as long as the World Cup, the Ashes, and the ICC Champions Trophy steal more attention than an Olympic medal, the sport of Cricket's inclusion in the Olympics will remain in doubt.
To put it another way, Cricket is not currently included in the Olympics because neither the IOC nor the International Cricket Council believes it has what it takes to be a successful event at the Summer Games.
If you are looking for any kind of services related to the sports and game, then definitely visit Finndit.Com once.
View Also -
Where Did T-20 Cricket First Originate?
Who Is The Best Chess Player In India?
