LONDON,
United Kingdom, Friday March 1, 2013 - Fresh moves are afoot to have cricket
become an Olympic sport perhaps in time for the 2024 edition of the games.
The
popular Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) World Committee is lobbying for Twenty 20
cricket to be included claiming it could significantly raise the profile of the
sport.
The
earliest the International Cricket Council (IOC) can apply to be part of the
Olympics is for the 2024 Games.
"The
MCC World Cricket committee appreciates that a great deal of effort may be
needed to lobby for the inclusion of cricket in the Olympic Games of
2024." MCC said in a statement.
Cricket
has already passed the first stage of selection when it received full Olympic
recognition in 2010.
The
MCC World Cricket Committee, which acts as a complementary body to ICC, admits
it would cost the game financially but feels the positives of being an Olympic
sport can make up for such losses.
"The
committee accepts that, were cricket to be played in the Olympics, there would
be a short-term loss in income for the ICC, and therefore for dispersion to its
members,” the statement said following a two day meeting in New Zealand.
“But
is impressed with the potential boost for the game worldwide if cricket were to
be included”.
The
statement also said: "Furthermore, the committee advocates Twenty20
cricket as the format to be played at the Olympics, thereby providing the
``pinnacle`` of that form of the sport."
IOC
president Jacques Rogge has encouraged the sport to put forward a case for its
inclusion, saying they would welcome an application, adding cricket is an
important, popular sport and very powerful on television.
Also,
one of the game's more outspoken advocate’s Australian cricketers Adam
Gilchrist has been pushing for T20 cricket to be included in the 2020 Olympic
Games.
Cricket
was part of the 1900 Olympics in Paris and has not appeared since. (CMC)
SOURCE: http://www.caribbean360.com/index.php/sports/670752.html
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