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Cricket, flag football among five sports approved for 2028 Games – ARN News Centre
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Cricket and flag football were among five sports added to the programme for the 2028 Los Angeles Games on Monday after gaining the approval of the International Olympic Committee as it looks to tap into new global audiences.
Lacrosse, squash and baseball-softball had also been proposed for inclusion by LA Games organisers and received approval at an IOC meeting in Mumbai.
Each host city, under IOC rules, can request the inclusion of several sports for their edition of the Games.
The five sports had already been given the nod from the powerful IOC Executive Board last week, with the session on Monday approving its recommendation with a show of hands.
Cricket, which enjoys a massive following in India and has a fast growing global audience, returns to the Games after more than a century, having appeared once at the 1900 Olympics, with a proposed six-team Twenty20 format for men and women.
T20 is a short format of the game.
The IOC hopes cricket’s inclusion will activate and engage a large, new Olympic audience, especially among Asian fans of the sport.
The annual Indian Premier League cricket tournament, with an estimated brand value of $8.4 billion, is one of the richest leagues in the world across sports and continues to attract the world’s top players and coaches to India.
The tournament is played in the same T20 format that will feature during the LA Games.
While all five sports’ inclusion is for only one edition of the Games, they are banking on the boost provided by participation to spur growth and remain an attractive Olympic product going into the next four-year cycle.
Flag football is a non-contact format of American football played by teams of five. American football last featured as a demonstration sport in the 1932 LA Games.
“We are convinced that flag football will offer an exciting new dimension to the Games — uniting them, for the first time in history, with America’s number one sport in its youngest, most accessible and inclusive format,” said Pierre Trochet, head of the International Federation of American Football.
Baseball has featured in several previous Games. It was added to the 2020 Tokyo program after being left off in 2012 and 2016, but it will not be a part of the Paris Games.
Softball, the female counterpart to baseball, has appeared at five previous editions of the Summer Games and was also left off the Paris agenda.
Lacrosse twice appeared as a medal sport at the Olympics, in 1904 and 1908, while squash had long pushed for inclusion, most recently in 2013 for the 2020 Olympics.
“The inclusion of squash … is a significant breakthrough for the sport,” U.S. Squash Chief Executive Kevin Klipstein said.
“Being part of the Olympic Games has been a long-held goal for the squash community, and inclusion will serve as a catalyst to increase awareness of what is already a major participatory sport globally with a long and diverse history.”
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DP World ILT20 Season 4 shatters records with 397 million viewers and 2.5 billion video views
Travellers arriving at Dubai International Airport are being greeted with a unique souvenir, a special stamp on their passports celebrating the Dubai World Cup 2026.
The initiative, launched by the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), marks the 30th edition (Pearl Jubilee) of one of the world’s most prestigious horse racing events.
A grand sporting celebration
The iconic Dubai World Cup will take place on Saturday, March 28 at Meydan Racecourse, drawing global attention from racing fans and elite stables.
This year’s event promises high-stakes action:
- 100 horses from top international stables
- Nine races across the evening
- Total prize pool of $30.5 million
Spotlight on the main race
The highlight of the night is the $12 million Dubai World Cup race, sponsored by Emirates Airline.
Run over 2,000 metres on dirt, the Group 1 race will feature some of the world’s top thoroughbreds, including:
- “Hit Show” – last year’s winner
- “Forever Young” – UAE Derby and Saudi Cup champion
- “Imperial Emperor”
- “Meidan” – Super Saturday winner
A memorable arrival experience
The commemorative passport stamp adds a celebratory touch for visitors landing in Dubai, tying their arrival to one of the city’s biggest sporting spectacles.
With excitement building ahead of race day, Dubai is once again showcasing its ability to blend world-class sport with unique visitor experiences.
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