New Delhi, June 23 (IANS) On Olympic Day, ICC chairman Jay Shah celebrated cricket’s return to the quadrennial extravaganza and urged everyone to take a step towards a stronger, healthier India under ‘Let’s Move?’ campaign.

“Let’s Move?” is the theme of this year’s Olympic Day, the global celebration of sport and getting active that takes place on June 23 each year to commemorate the founding of the modern Olympic Games in 1894.

“Cricket has always united us, and now, it’s part of the Olympic movement! On this #OlympicDay, let’s celebrate the power of sport to inspire, connect, and uplift. Invite your +1 for a walk, a run, or a game of cricket, and take a step towards a stronger, healthier India. Together, let’s keep moving forward on our journey to bring the Olympic Games home!” Shah posted on X.

This year, everyone is encouraged to invite a “+1” to walk, run, dance, skip and move with them. People can simply ask a friend to join their team or workout, use specially created “Let’s Move?” digital tools, and share their moves socially @Olympics #LetsMove.

“Cricket has joined the Olympic movement- a historic leap for our beloved sport! This #OlympicDay, let’s celebrate the power of sports to connect and inspire. Through the #LetsMove campaign, we invite you to pick your +1 and move – whether it’s a walk, a run, or a game of cricket. Together, we can build a healthier, more united India, because when we move together, we move better. Let’s make our dream a reality – Olympics in India!” BCCI shared on X.

Cricket, which made its only appearance in the Olympics at the Paris Games in 1900, was included in the Los Angeles Olympics after an IOC meeting in Mumbai in October 2023. It joins five new sports at LA28 – baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse (sixes) and squash.

Fairgrounds in Pomona, a temporary stadium in Southern California, has been selected as the venue for cricket at the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028, which will feature six teams each in the men’s and women’s competitions.

The T20 format, which is recognised as the vehicle for the growth of the game by the ICC, has also featured in other multi-sport events in recent years. The Asian Games in 2010, 2014 and 2023 featured both men’s and women’s T20 competitions while the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games staged a women’s competition.

–IANS

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