Infantino to Jay Shah: Let’s Unite the World Through Sports as Cricket Returns to Olympics

FIFA President Gianni Infantino met International Cricket Council Chairman Jay Shah in Milan, marking a rare crossover between football and cricket leadership. Infantino shared details of the meeting on social media. He praised Shah’s contribution to the growth of cricket worldwide. The meeting comes ahead of cricket’s return to the Olympics. It highlighted cooperation between global sports bodies.

In his Instagram post, Infantino said he was pleased to meet Jay Shah and acknowledged his efforts in expanding cricket’s reach. He wished Shah success as cricket prepares to return to the Olympic Games in 2028. Infantino said sports have the power to bring people together. He also expressed interest in future collaboration. His message focused on unity through sports.

Cricket is set to return to the Olympic programme at the Los Angeles Games in 2028. This will be only the second time the sport features at the Olympics. The first and only appearance earlier was in 1900 in Paris. That event saw a single match between Great Britain and France. Great Britain won the gold medal then.

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The qualification process for the LA28 cricket event has not yet been finalised. Officials are expected to discuss the matter during the ICC’s Annual Conference in Singapore. The conference will begin on July 17. Details such as team selection and format are still awaited. The event is expected to attract global attention.

Cricket’s inclusion in the Olympics reflects its growing popularity worldwide. Women’s cricket debuted at the Commonwealth Games in 2022. Both men’s and women’s cricket have also featured in multiple Asian Games. At LA28, T20 matches for men and women will run from July 12 to July 29, 2028. The event is seen as a major boost for the sport.

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