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'Virat Has 340 Million Followers': LA 2028 Organising Member Praises Virat Kohli

image-lnsoqmewCricket has been included as a sporting discipline for LA Olympics 2028 [X.com]

Cricket makes its long-awaited return to the Olympics, after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved the inclusion of cricket, along with other sports like Baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse (sixes), and squash as additions sports in the upcoming Los Angeles 2028 edition.

The decision comes after the 141st Session of the IOC came to a close in Mumbai today, which sees the return of cricket as an Olympic sport. Cricket featured in the second-ever Olympic Games programme in Paris in 1900. 

Cricket will be played in its shortest format i.e. the T20 version. The IOC is eager to tap into a market of over 2.5 billion people by adding Cricket into the Olympics programme, which is gaining traction in the US already with Major League Cricket (MLC), and the co-hosting of T20 WC 2024. 

The IOC has already cashed on the popularity of former Indian captain Virat Kohli, by using his image on all official media, while promoting cricket.

LA 2028 Sports Director hailed Kohli as one of the most followed athletes, let alone cricketers.

Here's what LA 2028 Sports Director stated

"Virat Kohli has 340 million Social Media followers - making him the 3rd most followed athlete - surpassing combined numbers of LeBron, Tom Brady, and Woods."

Owner of Mumbai Indians (MI) and a member of IOC, Nita Ambani also welcomed the addition of cricket.

"Cricket is one of the most loved sports globally - the second most watched. For 1.4 billion Indians, cricket is not just a sport, it's a religion - so as an Indian, I am very delighted for the inclusion of cricket".

Great Britain won the gold, while France won the silver medal in the 1900 Olympics, where with only these two nations participated.