The International Olympic Committee, meeting in Mumbai, has approved the program for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. As previously announced, five new sports will debut in the U.S., including cricket. The other sports at their Olympic premiere will be baseball/softball, squash, flag football and lacrosse.
IOC approves flag football, party in the USA for Los Angeles '28
It's a celebration in the US for the IOC's final go-ahead for the inclusion of flag football in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic program. The International Football Federation (IFAF), the NFL and USA Football - the national governing body of American football in the United States - joined forces and in a joint statement celebrated the decision of the International Olympic Committee which comes at the end of an evaluation process that began two years ago. Flag football is a team sport in many ways similar to American football, but it does not involve contact between players, who however carry two flags on their belts that must be torn from their opponents. Thanks to this mode, it is possible to play in mixed mode (male-female): flag football is growing especially among women and girls. It is estimated that 20 million people practice it in more than 100 countries. The NFL, one of the favorite sports of U.S. viewers, has a fan base of 340 million people. Next year, 65 national teams will participate in the IFAF Flag Football World Cup in Lahti, Finland, in August 2024. Among these could also be Italy, which is working on qualification. Satisfaction was expressed by Fidaf: "A historic moment for Flag Football in the world - commented Leoluca Orlando, president of the Italian federation - and a moment of particular enthusiasm on the part of Fidaf, which has given strong support to participation in the 2028 Olympics in international forums and in recent years has organized international championships in Italy of this discipline, winning European titles and prestigious successes, such as the silver medal won last year at the World Games in Birmingham with the men's national team".
Bach: 'More and more global with these 5 new sports'
"The choice of these five new sports aligns with American sports culture and will showcase iconic American sport to the world, while bringing international sport to the United States. These sports will make the LA28 Olympic Games unique. Their inclusion will allow the Olympic Movement to engage with new athletes and fan communities in the U.S. and globally." This was stated by IOC President Thomas Bach, commenting on the entry of cricket, lacrosse, baseball, squash and "flag football". Los Angeles 2028 President Casey Wasserman said: "I have long believed that in Los Angeles we have an incredible opportunity to create the most compelling Games, not only for us, but for the world. "Our Olympic sports program, in its entirety, reflects this belief," he concludes, "We are excited to embark on groundbreaking collaborations with leading professional leagues that will unlock tremendous opportunities to amplify Olympic and Paralympic history and captivate new audiences."
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