IOC to decide on Afghanistan’s participation in LA Olympics 2028, says ICC CEO Allardice

The ICC CEO Geoff Allardice has said that the final call on Afghanistan’s participation in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles will be taken by the IOC. The ICC has been working with the Taliban to resume the sport for women in the country, but the new set of laws put in by the Taliban has made it helpless. The IOC has informed the Taliban that its National Olympic Committee could be suspended if the situation persists.

ICC CEO Geoff Allardice has said that the final call on Afghanistan’s participation in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles will be taken by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

He also said that the ICC will not have much role to play in this case.

“(In) the Olympic competition teams are fielded by the National Olympic Committees of those countries. As an international sporting federation, we position our sport with the LA28 organisers for inclusion. And, the IOC and they (LA28) have included cricket,” Allardice said during the BBC’s Stumped podcast.

“In terms of the position of the National Olympic Committee of Afghanistan, it’s probably something for the IOC to be able to address more accurately than me.

“But, I know that they (IOC) have been following the progress or the developments there. Our position on cricket and supporting our member(s) in Afghanistan is not dissimilar to those of other international sporting organisations.” While cricket has been included in the Olympics for the first time in over 100 years, the lack of a women’s team from Afghanistan makes it’s participation doubtful, with the organisers placing a high focus on gender equality across sports.

The Afghan women’s cricket team was banned by the Taliban after its takeover of the nation in August 2021, and most of the players went into exile since then.

However, the ICC has been working with the Taliban in a bid to resume the sport for women in the country.