"A big decision for South-East Asian nations...": IOC member Nita Ambani on cricket's inclusion in LA2028 Olympics

Cricket will be a part of the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028 and will make its return after 128 years to the multi-sport extravaganza, announced the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Monday.

"I am so happy. This day is historic. This is a big decision for South-East Asian nations, not only India," Nita Ambani told ANI.

"All our children will start getting involved in sports. There is nothing better than channelling their energy in sports. I have always said that children learn as much in a sports field as they do in a classroom," she added.

Meanwhile Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar has also welcomed the inclusion of Cricket in the Olympic calendar.

'After a wait of more than a century, our beloved sport is back on the Olympic stage at @LA28. This marks the dawn of a new era for cricket as it will be a golden opportunity to foster inclusivity and showcase new talent from emerging cricketing nations. A start of something truly special!" Sachin Tendulkar said in a post on X.

The 2028 Los Angeles event will also include sports like baseball/softball, lacrosse, squash and flag football. The proposal from the Organising Committee of the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 to include these games in the programme was accepted at the ongoing 141st IOC session being held in Mumbai.

Cricket made its sole appearance at the 1900 Paris Olympics in which Great Britain defeated France in the final. But it is played in Commonwealth Games and Asian Games as well.

Two IOC members opposed the proposal and one abstained from voting.

"The proposal from the Organising Committee of the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 (@LA28 to include five new sports in the programme has been accepted by the IOC Session. Baseball/softball, cricket (T20), flag football, lacrosse (sixes) and squash will be in the programme at LA28. #IOCMumbai2023," tweeted IOC Media.

The IOC session in Mumbai was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday. The session serves as a key meeting of the members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Important decisions regarding the future of the Olympic games are made at the IOC Sessions. India is hosting the IOC session for the second time and after a gap of about 40 years. The IOC's 86th session was held in New Delhi in 1983. (ANI)