The West Indies is looking to urge the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to find a way for Caribbean sides to qualify for the Olympic cricket tournament in 2028.
Cricket will return to the Olympics for the first time in over a century. with a six-team T20 competition being held for both men’s and women’s teams.
It has not yet been decided how teams will qualify, but the West Indies cricket side will not be able to participate as it is an amalgamation of a number of national sides. Only national teams can compete in the Olympics, and not amalgamated teams such as West Indies cricket, or a team that represents all of Ireland for example.
However, Cricket West Indies (CWI), the game’s governing body in the region, has proposed some pathways to allow for individual Caribbean sides to qualify for the Olympics.
If either of the West Indies men’s or women’s sides find themselves in a position to qualify for the Olympics, CWI has suggested an intra-Caribbean qualifying tournament, with the winner going to the Olympics. Another suggestion is for a dedicated regional qualifying process to take place.
Said CWI CEO, Chris Dehring: “Our nations have proudly flown their individual flags atop Olympic podiums as perennial gold medallists. Now, with cricket’s inclusion, we must ensure that our cricketers are not shut out of history. We are ready to collaborate. We are ready to compete. But above all, we are asking for fairness.”