Cricket, baseball/softball, soccer, lacrosse and squash will be part of the Olympic program in five years. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has approved the proposal to add these five sports to the Los Angeles program.
IOC members still have to formally vote on Monday on whether to accept the new sports, but IOC President Thomas Bach does not expect any problems.
“The selection of these five new sports is in keeping with American sports culture and will showcase iconic American sports to the world,” Bach said Friday during a meeting of the International Olympic Committee’s Executive Committee. “On the other hand, international sports are being brought back to the United States.”
Baseball, cricket, and lacrosse have all been Olympic Games before, although that was long ago for lacrosse (1904 and 1908) and cricket (1900). Baseball and softball were part of the Tokyo 2021 Games, but are not on the program in Paris.
Squash and soccer will be included in the Olympic program for the first time in Los Angeles in five years. Flag football is a type of American football, but without physical contact. Players carry flags that must be removed.
Due to the news regarding the five new sports, there will be no place for break dancing in 2028, which will be included in the program next year in Paris. With India Sarju (17) and Menno van Gorp (34), among others, the Netherlands have a good chance of winning medals in the French capital.
Kustroeien nieuwe discipline in 2028
Op de Olympische Spelen in Los Angeles (2028) staat bij het roeien een nieuwe discipline op het programma: beach sprint. Het onderdeel neemt de plaats in van het licht roeien, dat in Parijs voor het laatst gehouden wordt.
Het kustroeien is een relatief nieuwe variant in de roeisport. Bij het onderdeel beach sprint moeten deelnemers over het strand rennen naar hun roeiboot, een afstand door zee afleggen en vervolgens naar de finish op het strand rennen.
De Nederlandse Janneke van der Meulen werd vorige week wereldkampioen Beach Sprint in het Italiaanse Barletta.
