As a top cricketing Nation, it’s quite natural that we wish to see the game included in Olympics. But it doesn’t seem to materialize in the near future. Most of you would be cursing the IOC for not permitting it. But how many actually know that ICC has never bid for its inclusion since the game's ouster a century ago?
A few binding reasons for Cricket not being a part of Olympics are listed below :
- An Isolated sport: The game is played at the international level by only around 20 out of 300 odd Olympic Nations. Though other countries may be interested in it, they lack proper governing bodies like the BCCI for
- Long Duration: A one day international match usually takes 8 hours to finish. As the name suggests, a match will virtually a take day away. Hence, the ground needs to be reserved for one game a day.
- ‘Anti-Olympic’ sport: Some are for the removal of games like Football and Baseball because they are against the 'Olympic spirit' as all the players of a winning team need not play well. The same logic approves to Cricket as well. And for this reason, Baseball has lost its place in the next Olympics.
- Lack of Infra Structure: Most of the Olympic nations don’t have a proper cricket stadium. The hosts have to build a new one, meeting international standards which will be a huge unnecessary expenditure for a non-cricketing nation.
- Too Famous for Olympics: Cricket already being a famous sport will take away the viewers’ interest from other games in Olympics. Thus the other most popular sport Football is included as an under 23 event with the exception of 3 over-age players.
The famous Jamaican Olympian, Linford Christie had this to say when asked why was he against Cricket's inclusion:
"Not just Cricket, I am also against the inclusion of Tennis and Baseball. Olympics is the greatest stage of them all, you just can't diminish its value. An athlete should reach the pinnacle of his sporting career at the olympics. But names like Federer, Nadal, Bryant, LeBron James... They are already superstars, is there anything left for them to achieve at the Olympics?"
True, isn't it?? Though a few may argue that adding glory of their country is the greatest achievement, winning wold cups and Grandslams are always considered bigger than an olympic gold medal.
With the advent of T-20 games, ICC can go for some serious bidding for an Olympic slot. But with the other sporting bodies looking to remove the Olympic sports of the same genre, chances
of Cricket’s inclusion looks very slim.
At the hindsight, we want its inclusion just to add another medal to our kitty, isn't it? Why don't we nurture other sports rather than riding the back of IOC for its inclusion.
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