Back in 2023, cricket was one of five new sports that were included in the LA28 roster.
Cricket is set to return to the Olympics after a 128-year gap, with the Los Angeles edition in 2028. The LA28 Olympics cricket event will be staged from July 12 to 29, 2028, in Pomona, which is close to Los Angeles.
Ahead of the LA28 Olympics, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has started taking steps to reset and maintain the leadership and governance structure of USA Cricket (USAC) after receiving an order from the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC). This development stems from USAC’s need to obtain national governing body (NGB) status from the USOPC, which is required for any new sport added to the LA28 Games.
Back in 2023, cricket was one of five new sports included in the LA28 roster by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), citing its massive global audience, particularly in the Indian subcontinent. Since the United States is the host nation, they are likely to be one of the six teams competing for medals in both the men’s and women’s categories.
According to an ESPNCricinfo report, the ICC has now provided a “roadmap” in an email to USAC on July 10, after previously warning the organisation last July of serious repercussions, including the risk of losing its status as the governing body for cricket in the US.
The roadmap includes setting up a new interim board, conducting fresh elections, and ensuring that all operational and financial procedures are aligned with both ICC and USOPC standards. USAC’s current issues stem from long-standing administrative instability, infighting, and failure to meet governance benchmarks.
The ICC reiterated that without swift corrective action, not only would USAC risk losing its recognition as the official governing body of cricket in the USA, but it could also jeopardize the participation of the USA team in the LA28 Olympics—a major blow given the sport’s high-profile return to the Games.
ALSO READ:
“A stage-wise approach shall be implemented to restore regulatory compliance and functional integrity to USA Cricket, with the ultimate aim of securing National Governing Body (NGB) recognition by the USOPC and eligibility for LA28 Olympic participation. The Committee is committed to helping to restore the integrity and credibility of USA Cricket. The roadmap provides a structured and lawful pathway to achieving NGB status and ensuring that USA Cricket is eligible to participate in LA28 as a fully compliant Olympic sporting body”, the ICC said in the July 10 email.
The ICC’s Normalisation Committee, in tandem with USOPC, drew up the six-step roadmap. Jay Shah, who is the ICC Chairman, had a meeting with senior officials of USAC twice – in April and then in Los Angeles in June, where he told them the major concerns and how they can be resolved.
According to the roadmap, the USAC has to remove its existing independent directors and replace them with at least three new names. The ICC will then seek help from USOPC and will finalise the three new directors, who will be required to stand by all the norms under the USAC constitution. The moment the three independent directors are inducted formally, the Normalisation Committee has stated that the existing USAC Board will resign.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram, and YouTube.
