IOC Board Supports LA28 Proposal for New Sports — Including Lacrosse

The International Olympic Committee Executive Board has accepted a proposal by the Los Angeles 2028 organizing committee to add lacrosse to the Olympic program, putting the sport on the precipice of its first appearance in the Summer Games in 120 years.

BREAKING: IOC Executive Board accepts @LA28 proposal to add lacrosse to 2028 Olympics, subject to final vote at upcoming IOC Session in Mumbai@WorldLacrosse | @USA_Lacrosse pic.twitter.com/zWZ2K07G7a

— USA Lacrosse Magazine (@USALacrosseMag) October 13, 2023

There’s one last hurdle to clear. The proposal must be approved at the upcoming IOC Session this weekend in Mumbai, India. A decision is expected Monday.

Lacrosse was one of five sports LA28 put forth for inclusion in the 2028 Olympics. The others were baseball/softball, cricket, flag football and squash.

“These proposals have been accepted as a package by the IOC Executive Board, taking into consideration that these sports are fully in line with the sports culture of our host in ’28,” IOC president Thomas Bach said during a press conference Friday. “They will showcase iconic American sports to the world while at the same time bringing international sports to the United States. Their inclusion will allow the Olympic movement to engage with new athletes and fan communities in the U.S. and globally.”

The IOC Executive Board endorsed LA28’s recommendation during its second day of meetings Friday. If approved by the IOC’s general assembly in Mumbai, the decision would secure a spot for lacrosse as a medal sport in the Olympics for the first time since 1908. It was a demonstration sport in 1928, 1932 and 1948.

“We were willing to challenge the status quo and think differently about what’s possible for the Games,” LA28 CEO Kathy Carter said earlier this week.

Following a review by the Olympic Programme Commission, the IOC Executive Board puts the @LA28 Organising Committee's additional sports proposal to the IOC Session.

Baseball/softball, cricket (T20), flag football, lacrosse (sixes), and squash are the 5 sports submitted. pic.twitter.com/pL6IOn87Jj

— IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) October 13, 2023

LA28 chair Casey Wasserman told the Los Angeles Times that the committee considered both the relevance of the sports being added as well as the economic feasibility of staging competition, favoring those that could be played at existing Southern California venues.

“LA28’s proposed sports ignite the imagination on the field of play and drive culture off it. They’re relevant, innovative and community-based, played in backyards, schoolyards, community centers, stadiums and parks across the U.S. and the globe,” Wasserman said. “They will bring new athletes to the Games, engage diverse fanbases and expand the Games’ presence in digital spaces, further amplifying LA28’s mission to deliver an unparalleled experience.”

Olympic policy gives each host city an option of proposing additions to the 28 sports — such as gymnastics, track and basketball — on the standard program. 

“Lacrosse is globally played, accessible and equitable, with a unique origin and modern, youthful relevancy. We are on a path of ascendency and will be a great partner for LA28 and the IOC,” World Lacrosse said in a statement issued Monday. “Reaching this stage in the process is a testament to the dedication of our players, coaches, officials, volunteers, administrators and lacrosse enthusiasts worldwide, who have tirelessly championed our sport. We eagerly await the IOC’s final decision and look forward to the possibility of lacrosse being showcased on the world's biggest sporting stage, inspiring generations to come.”

If the IOC’s general assembly votes to add lacrosse and the other four sports for 2028, there’s no guarantee they will be included in the Olympics beyond that. IOC sports director Kit McConnell said the plans would require the 2028 Games to exceed the IOC’s 10,500-athlete limit as an exception.

Still, the potential reach of the 2028 Games alone would provide unprecedented exposure for lacrosse. The total global audience for the Tokyo Olympics was 3.05 billion. The events averaged more than 15 million viewers per day. A record 5.5 billion minutes of Olympic content was consumed on social media and online platforms.

“The Olympics are the pinnacle of sport globally and inclusion would bring unmatched visibility and investment in the sport around the world,” USA Lacrosse CEO Marc Riccio said.

World Lacrosse has built its case for a return to the Olympics over the last two decades, starting with the 2008 merger of the men’s and women’s international federations to become what was then the Federation of International Lacrosse. Admission to SportAccord and recognition by the International World Games Association followed in 2012 and 2013, respectively.

In 2017, women’s field lacrosse competed in The World Games in Wroclaw, Poland. Previously a volunteer-run organization, World Lacrosse hired its first employee, CEO Jim Scherr, later that year with the Olympic vision in mind. The former USA Wrestling and U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee CEO had experience navigating the Olympic process.

The IOC provisionally recognized lacrosse in 2018 and granted full recognition three years later. Soon thereafter, World Lacrosse unveiled a six-on-six version of the game that fit within the modern Olympic framework. Sixes debuted in 2021 as a fast-paced, high-scoring hybrid of the box and field lacrosse disciplines, allowing for smaller rosters, shorter games and more competitive balance.

Sixteen teams scored more than 1,000 goals in 34 games — roughly a goal every 75 seconds —when the sixes discipline went global at The World Games 2022 in Birmingham, Alabama. The Japanese men’s team claimed its first-ever top-three finish with a thrilling win over Great Britain in the bronze medal game.

Sixes would be the format used for the Olympics, a destination the sport took one step closer toward Friday. The IOC Executive Board expanded on its decision to accept the LA28 proposal and the appeal of the individual sports in a press release Friday morning stating: 

“Lacrosse was created by the Indigenous Peoples of North America and started to spread internationally in the 19th century, initially to Great Britain and Australia. Its potential inclusion on the LA28 sports program (with the sixes format) would be its third appearance at the Olympic Games, after St. Louis 1904 and London 1908. Its presence at LA28 would provide a unique opportunity to connect its North American heritage with its growing youth appeal. Lacrosse is experiencing tremendous development both in the U.S. and globally, with four continents represented in the world ranking top 10.”

World Lacrosse’s global membership has grown to 90 national governing bodies with the recent additions of Botswana, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Eleven new members have joined the international federation this year alone.