The 2028 Olympics program was expanded this Monday, with the addition of five new sports. Suggested by the organizers of this Los Angeles edition, cricket, lacrosse, squash, flag football and baseball were officially adopted by the International Olympic Committee, on the occasion of the 141st session of the body meeting in Bombay (India). Operation, modalities, French chances… We take stock.
Cricket, the most popular
Already present at the Games during the 1900 edition in Paris, cricket is making its comeback in the Olympic family. Followed by 2.5 billion people, making it the second most popular sport in the world after football, it is mainly in Commonwealth countries, particularly in India and Australia.
During each match, two teams face each other. The defenders must try, by throwing a ball, to bring down wooden blocks protected by beaters, to eliminate them. The attackers, for their part, aim to hit the ball with their bat out of reach of the eleven defenders, then score points by making runs between the blocks. After a while, the two teams exchange positions.
At the Olympic Games, the preferred format will be Twenty20, often abbreviated to T20, a shortened version of cricket, while traditional matches quickly become interminable. Invented in the 2000s, this format makes matches more digestible, with only 20 series of six throws maximum. That’s around three hours of play.
Reigning world champions, both in the T20 format and in the One Day International (with a one-day match), the England men’s team would be favorites for gold if the Olympiad were held tomorrow . For their part, the Blues have never participated in any World Cup and did not take part in the qualifiers for the 2023 edition, for both men and girls. From the top of its 2,000 licensees, France is in 53rd place (men) and 36th place (women) in the international ranking established by the ICC, the international federation.
Lacrosse, American preserve
Of Native American origin, Lacrosse (sometimes also called “lacrosse”) is also a sport mainly popular on the other side of the Atlantic, which was already on the Olympic program in 1904 and 1908, before being played three times demonstrated later. This is again a team sport: two teams face each other and try to pass a rubber ball to each other using large sticks, to try to score a goal, like in hockey. Each player is equipped with heavy protection, physical contact being allowed to recover the ball.
This time too, the IOC chose a shorter and more dynamic match format, the “sixes”. Played six against six, it results in matches lasting around 45 minutes. Created only in 2018, it has however never given rise to major international tournaments. But the teams that should shine there will surely be the same as in the classic format, where Canada and the United States have faced each other in the last seven World Cup finals.
In France, on the other hand, sport is extremely confidential. During the last edition, won by the Americans, the Tricolores finished in 18th position. Which is exactly their place in the world rankings established by World Lacrosse, the international federation.
Squash, perseverance rewarded
The only individual sport on this list, squash will take its first steps in the Olympic world, after numerous unsuccessful applications. This racket sport, played between four walls (often glass to allow spectators to watch the matches), is played one against one, the goal being to hit a small black rubber ball towards the main wall, while making so that it cannot be taken over by the adversary. Playing in the same space, players must also be careful not to disturb their counterparts, even if there is a lot of interference.
An Anglo-Saxon sport par excellence, long very popular in England, squash has seen its popularity grow in the Commonwealth. In France, however, there are 200,000 practitioners, including 16,300 licensees in 2022. At a high level, the Blues are not doing too badly: in the past, two French people have already been crowned world champions (Thierry Lincou in 2004 and Grégory Gaultier in 2015) and Victor Crouin, current best representative, occupies 11th place in the world. On the women’s side, the history is not as glorious even if Camille Serme was world No. 2. Today, Mélissa Alves is well established in the top 20.
But the best French chances will have their work cut out for them in 2028 against the Egyptian contingent, which has largely dominated the squash world for several years. While new talents continue to emerge, Egypt has the last two reigning world champions, as well as five players in the men’s world top 10 and four in the women’s top 10.
Baseball/softball, an air of deja vu
Present six times at the Olympic Games, notably during the last edition in Tokyo (in 2021), baseball, a specialist in round trips in the Olympic program, will once again be there in 2028. Popularized by the MLB, the American league, the sport consists of a clash between two camps: the fielders and the batting players. A pitcher is responsible for sending the ball towards an opposing batter, who will attempt to hit it out of reach of the catchers, in order to be able to run around four bases arranged on the field and score points. After a while, the two teams switch roles and in the end, the one with the highest score wins.
In Los Angeles, as in previous editions, the men will play baseball, the most popular version of the sport, while the girls will compete in softball matches, with very similar rules but played on a smaller field and with a softer ball. In Tokyo, the men’s and women’s tournaments were contested between six teams. A format which could be retained by the IOC, keen to limit the number of participants per edition.
As it stands, it seems complicated to see the French play for a medal in 2028. In men’s baseball, the Blues are only 21st in the world and have not played in the World Baseball Classic, the equivalent of the World Cup. world in 2023. Same observation for women’s softball, with a 22nd place in the world rankings and a 10th place at the last European Championships. In 2022, the sport had around 15,000 licensees in France. Both sports are historically dominated by Cuba, the United States or Japan for men and the United States or Japan for women.
Flag football, France’s best chance
It seemed difficult to do without American football in your country in 2028. But it is its close cousin, flag football, which was selected by the IOC. The rules are roughly the same as those of the most popular sport across the Atlantic: two teams alternating between defense and attack, whose aim is to carry the ball into the opponent’s goal (this is called a ” touchdown”) and who have four attempts to gain ground if they want to maintain possession. However, there is a difference, and a big one, since contact is prohibited. To stop an attacker, the defender must tear off a flag (the “flag”) hanging from the waist of the attacker.
Even if the matches are less tactically complex, the matches being played five against five and lasting “only” twice twenty minutes, the physical qualities required are however the same as in US football. The organizers would therefore surely welcome certain NFL stars coming to Los Angeles, especially since the American league has assured that it will not block them. Which could further strengthen the United States team, winner of the last World Championships for both men and girls.
In France, although flag football remains less popular than US football, with only 5,000 members, the results are rather good. World champion in 2006, the men’s selection regularly competes on the podium at the European Championships, finishing fifth in 2023. The women did even better, with a fourth place.
