Reports | ICC accuses BCCI of blocking cricket's Olympic inclusion

Reports | ICC accuses BCCI of blocking cricket's Olympic inclusion

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According to a recent report, the Board of Control for Cricket in India is blocking the way of cricket becoming an Olympic sport. The BCCI is reluctant to come under the domain of National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) is trying to convince the Indian board.

The Indian cricket board doesn't want to come under the ambit of the NADA and according to the ICC, this is where it is facing a roadblock in making cricket popular around the world. ICC CEO David Richardson has mentioned that they are making constant efforts to make the Indian board adhere to World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) norms. On the other hand, NADA is trying to get the BCCI under it but the board has always been reluctantly saying that it is not a national sports federation and does not get any assistance from the government.

“It’s for BCCI to decide how much government interference they can allow. We are trying to help BCCI sort out the issue with WADA and NADA,” Richardson told TOI.

The CEO has expressed that the ICC is trying to get cricket into the Olympics by 2028. The inclusion of the game in the Olympics will help in making it more popular and will generate more fans. 

“We think cricket should be in the 2028 Olympics. But it’s not going to happen unless we are unified as a sport. At this stage, we need to convince the BCCI that it is a good thing for cricket to be in the Olympics from all aspects. It will generate more fans, growth. The game will get bigger. It won’t prejudice the value of our own events.”

Cricket was a part of the 2014 Incheon Asian Games and the Sri Lankan side clinched the gold medal in that edition of the Games. But, cricket was not included in the recently-concluded Asian Games in Indonesia.

“The reason why Japan has grown rapidly in hockey and won gold in Asian Games is that it’s an Olympic sport. Cricket is not an Olympic sport and hence they don’t have enough means to develop their game. It’s the same with China,” ICC chief operating officer (COO) Ian Higgins said.

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