Cricket West Indies Writes to ICC Ahead of LA28 Qualification Process Announcement

After more than a century, cricket is set to make its Olympic comeback at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. But there’s one major snag—no one really knows how teams will qualify yet. And that’s left several cricket boards around the world, including Cricket West Indies (CWI), stuck in limbo just three years out from the big event.

Cricket West Indies asks ICC for clarity 

CWI has now officially requested the ICC to lay out a fair and transparent qualification process that would allow at least one Caribbean nation to represent the region at the Olympics. They’ve made it clear that this isn’t just about cricket – it’s about upholding the same principles of fairness and access that the Olympic movement claims to stand for. The tricky part for the Caribbean lies in how the Olympics work. In cricket, island nations from the region compete together under the “West Indies” banner, governed by the CWI. But the Olympic Charter only allows sovereign nations to compete, which means the usual West Indies team won’t be eligible as a collective unit. 

"The Caribbean has always punched above its weight at the Olympics, inspiring the world with our athletic brilliance," CWI president Kishore Shallow said in a statement. "Cricket's return to the Games in 2028 must not exclude our young cricketers from the same dream that has inspired our athletes. The Olympic Charter emphasizes fairness, transparency, and universality. We are simply asking that these principles be upheld — not just in spirit, but in structure. West Indies cricket must have a pathway, and fully deserves an opportunity to compete." 

The region includes 15 nations and territories under the West Indies cricket umbrella—countries like Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, and Saint Lucia. Historically, when the region has participated in multi-sport events like the Commonwealth Games, the Caribbean nation that wins an internal qualifier gets the nod to represent the West Indies. As of now, the West Indies men's and women's teams are ranked No. 5 and No. 6 in the world in T20Is. But those rankings could mean little if the ICC doesn’t figure out a way to include them at LA28. 

So far, the ICC hasn’t revealed how Olympic qualification will work. Their proposal to the LA28 organizers suggested that the top six teams based on T20I rankings at a specific cut-off date should get a ticket to the Games. But no decision has been finalized, and the clock is ticking. A decision is expected sometime this year. 

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