Cricket To Be Part Of 2030 Youth Olympics? ICC Reportedly Says Will Collaborate With IOC

The host for the 2030 Youth Olympics is still not decided but since India is among those who have intended to organise the event, ICC is hopeful that cricket could be included in the Games as well.

According to a report published by Cricbuzz on Saturday, ICC responded positively while talking about collaborating with IOC to get cricket into the Youth Olympics.

As per the report, William Glenwright, ICC's General Manager of Development, responded positively to an email from Vivek Gopalan, who wanted ICC to push cricket's case at the Youth Olympics.

"It's a good idea and something we could look at," Glenwright replied to Gopalan.

The mail and Glenwright's reply to it were also copied to ICC CEO Geoff Allardice, Wasim Khan, Claire Furlong, and Chris Tetley, according to Cricbuzz.

Gopalan has stated that with Mumbai intending to host the Youth Olympics in 2030, cricket's case could be pushed.

He has also written to the ICC official: "No less a person than Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has now publicly proclaimed India's desire to host both the 2030 YOG and 2036 Olympics."

 "All top sports, including Rugby Sevens, are part of the YOG. Why not Cricket? Including Cricket in the YOG would revolutionize grassroots cricket globally, especially among the ICC Associates," the mail states.

The mail further adds, "Now that ICC has formed strong links with IOC and IOC recognizes that the "cricket brand " can enhance the "Olympic Brand " it would not be a difficult task to convince IOC to include Cricket as a core sport in the Youth Olympics."

While addressing the IOC session in Mumbai last October, the Indian prime minister expressed his willingness to bring the Youth Olympics of 2030 to the country. Of late, Modi has also been consistently seen talking about bidding for the 2036 Olympics.

Cricket is set to return to the Olympics in 2028 in Los Angeles after a gap of over a century.