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Gilchrist dreams of Twenty20 at the Olympics

Sachinism

By Sachinism
in Cricket Talk

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Sachinism Newbie

Sachinism

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Adam Gilchrist is leading a player push for Twenty20 to be included in the 2020 Olympics, believing it is an essential step in securing the game's global future. With the start of the Beijing event less than a week away, Gilchrist says the cricket "pipedream" is a "potential reality" following the success of the new format and the Indian Premier League. "It doesn't matter where the 2020 Olympic Games are held, but many of us who've experienced international Twenty20 cricket and the IPL are convinced that cricket should bid to become an Olympic sport in time for the Games," Gilchrist wrote in the Deccan Chronicle. Cricket was part of the 1900 Olympics before being cut, but last year it gained "recognition status" from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for two years. "We have a responsibility to grow our game in new territories and amongst the women of the world," Gilchrist wrote. "I believe the Olympic Games is the vehicle the sport should use to aggressively sell the message of our sport to all 202 competing Olympic nations, so our sport is strong and robust in countries where it is currently played, and exciting and ground-breaking in countries who haven't yet caught the 'cricket-bug'." To receive "programme status" at the 2020 Olympics, cricket would need to be approved by the IOC at a meeting seven years before the event. Twenty-six sports are part of the Beijing schedule and there are currently two vacancies for future Games. Golf, karate, baseball, softball, rugby sevens and roller sports are among the disciplines currently competing for the right to be involved in 2016. Gilchrist believes it is time to start serious lobbying. "Between 2009 and 2013 cricket would promote itself to the IOC as a prospective sport and, if we get it right, cricket will be invited to the Olympic party in 2020," he said. Each Full Member cricket board has been asked by the ICC to have two national men and women players complete Olympic questionnaires. The responses in Australia have been favourable and Gilchrist, a key performer in the IPL, has also sounded out excited colleagues from Australia, South Africa and England. Gilchrist experienced the surge of interest in Twenty20 during his time with the Deccan Chargers earlier this year and is convinced the IPL revolution has "changed cricket forever". Now he wants the BCCI's officials to work with the ICC to help take it to the Olympics. "They would be investing in the future of the sport because by having a men's and women's competition at the Olympic Games many more countries would be drawn to cricket," he said. "It wouldn't surprise me if countries like the USA, China, Italy, France and Japan become competitive very quickly in Twenty20, especially in women's Twenty20. I believe that in time the success of cricket at the Olympic Games will lead to more Test-playing nations, something that the sport will need in the coming century." Gilchrist feels the aim is realistic. "The Olympic movement knows it needs to increase its presence in the Asian subcontinent as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh contribute nearly 22% of the world's population. In theory, this is a win-win for the Olympic movement and the ICC and its members." India collected only a silver medal in Athens in 2004 while Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh failed to finish in the top three of any event. Cricket would dramatically increase each of the nations' chances of reaching the podium while lifting interest in the subcontinent. Next year's Twenty20 World Championship in England will be held over 16 days, one day shorter than the Olympic programme. Supporters of cricket's push believe the length of the tournament - and its high-energy matches - is another valid reason for its inclusion. ---------------- there was cricket once at some commonwealth games i think

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Kumar Newbie

Kumar

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Greatest allrounder that has turned aussies unit into UNBEATABLE one. IF it is not him, they wouldnt have won that many games, what keeper too! :two_thumbs_up:. We all Miss you Beautifully said Mouni, Glorious Gilchrist will be missed:icflove::-D Miss him:((
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cowboysfan Grand Master

cowboysfan

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lets see here- cricket is way better than baseball(For the uninitiated T20 is >>>baseball,trust me) more people watch and play cricket than baseball(by about a billion and half) baseball is a olympic sport.now that we have a version of cricket that finishes in 2.5 hours,it should be made a oylmpic sport). If T20 spreads to other countries than this would be a natural progression imo.

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Predator_05 Newbie

Predator_05

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lets see here- cricket is way better than baseball(For the uninitiated T20 is >>>baseball,trust me) more people watch and play cricket than baseball(by about a billion and half) baseball is a olympic sport.now that we have a version of cricket that finishes in 2.5 hours,it should be made a oylmpic sport). If T20 spreads to other countries than this would be a natural progression imo.
Cricket is only played by former British colonies. It's reach doesn't extend beyond that. Baseball on the other hand, is huge in North America, Central America (and i don't just mean Mexico) parts of South America and then it's massive in Japan and Korea too. Australia also played baseball at the last Olympics and won a silver. I'd say baseball is definitely more ubiquitous than cricket, which for the most part, is followed fantatically only by the g aandoo subcontinentals, who aren't good at anything else BUT cricket. Baseball is also a BETTER sport than cricket.*

*Not a serious comment, just trying to p iss off Bossbhai

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Sachinism Newbie

Sachinism

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Waugh joins Olympic Twenty20 push Ganguly and Fleming support global proposal for 2020 Games Steve Waugh, who led Australia to a Commonwealth Games silver medal, is part of a growing group of current and former players who have supported Adam Gilchrist's push for Twenty20 to be part of the 2020 Olympics. Gilchrist raised the idea on Monday and since then a series of big names, including Kumar Sangakkara, Sourav Ganguly and Stephen Fleming, have climbed on board. Waugh, a mentor of the Australian Olympic team in Beijing, said the idea was "definitely worth pursuing". "If you want to globalise the game then you have to look at including countries like China and the United States, and getting cricket into the Olympics will fast-track that move," Waugh told the Press Association. In 1998 Waugh captained Australia at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur and said it was the "time of my life". "Winning the silver medal was one of the highlights of my career," he said. And he believes Twenty20 will become a "worldwide phenomenon" over the next few years. "The Olympic Games would provide the perfect platform to showcase the game to a larger audience, drawing in new fans and helping drive cricket development in emerging cricket countries," Sangakkara wrote in the Times of India. "The snowball effect this could be enormous. 2020 may seem like a long way away but we need to start the process now. "From a player's perspective, the privilege of competing at an Olympic Games would undoubtedly be a highlight of your career." The proposal has also received backing from Fleming, Ganguly, VVS Laxman and Yuvraj Singh. While Fleming and Gilchrist have retired from internationals, they are both involved in the Indian Premier League and see huge potential in the Twenty20 format. "The Olympics would be the greatest vehicle to spread the game worldwide and it would be a logical fit," Fleming said in the Australian. Ganguly also took a global view of the possible development. "It will help the players to be part of a worldwide movement," he said in the Deccan Chronicle. "Cricket is an exciting sport and should definitely be part of the Olympics." Laxman said representing India at an Olympics would be a "great honour" while Yuvraj felt it was an excellent initiative. "Should cricket make it to the Olympics," he said, "it would be significant, especially to our country where the game is most loved." Gilchrist said his proposal was a "call to arms for the game's administrators" and James Sutherland, Cricket Australia's chief executive, is excited by it. "When you think of the Olympics, you also think of the big nations like the US, Russia and now China," Sutherland told the paper. "Those regions are clearly potential growth opportunities for cricket and we see Twenty20 at the Olympics as a superb vehicle." For cricket to be included in 2020 it would need to be approved by the International Olympic Committee in 2013. The game received Olympic "recognition status" last year, but it faces a battle with other sports, such as golf, karate and baseball, to become part of the programme.

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