Baseball and softball return to Olympic Games in 2028

An aspiration forcuban baseball opens to the inclusion of this sport, along with thesoftball and other disciplines, inLos Angeles Olympics in 2028.

The sports package, proposed by the organizers of the biggest sporting event in the Californian city,also includes cricket, lacrosse, American football and squash, and was released this Monday in Bombay, India, where theInternational Olympic Committee (IOC) holds its 141st session.

This decision represents the return to the five rings event for baseball, softball, cricket and lacrosse, while flag football and squash will debut in this type of events.

"These sports will make the LA28 Olympic Games unique," said the IOC president at the presentation.Thomas Bach.

The choice of these five sports was based on "the utilization of existing facilities, the participation of a wide range of sporting communities both in the United States and around the world, and the incorporation of some of the most popular sports in the United States." and throughout the world," the IOC said in a note published on its website.

In addition,Casey Wasserman, President ofLA28, said: "We are excited to embark on innovative collaborations with major professional leagues, which will offer enormous opportunities to amplify Olympic and Paralympic history and captivate new audiences."

At the assembly, the IOC also supported the recommendations of the Executive Commission anddecided to include modern pentathlon and halterophilia in the LA28 sports program. At the same time, they agreed to suspend any decision regarding the inclusion of boxing in said program.

Several of the returning sports have a long tradition in world Olympics. Previously, baseball and softball were part of the programs of several editions of the Olympic Games. The last time inSuch 2020, with Japan and the United States sharing the gold and silver in both sports. Cuba did not qualify its teams for the event in the Japanese capital.

Cuba's baseball teams have not competed in the Olympic Games sinceBeijing 2008. In the duel held at the Wukesong stadium, the Cubans were defeated 3-2 by the South Korean team in that year's final.