August 08, 2008	Friday	Sha’aban 5, 1429

BEIJING, Aug 7: As players from around the world backed former Australia wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist’s call for Twenty20 cricket to become an Olympic sport, officials said it would take another 12 years at least for it to get on the Games roster.

But a spokesman for the International Cricket Council (ICC) said that if cricket decided it was intent on pursuing Olympic ambitions, then “Twenty20 cricket in 2020 does have a certain ring to it”.

Cricket was part of the Olympics just once, in 1900, but last year it was again recognised as an Olympic sport – the first step towards full admission.

“Our strategic objective was to obtain IOC recognition for the benefit of our members,” the ICC spokesman also said.

“We achieved this at the first time of asking in December 2007. Now that we are in a position to compete for a spot on the Olympic programme, it’s only right that we now look at whether cricket and the Olympic Games would benefit from being reunited.”

Gilchrist, in his column for Indian daily the Deccan Chronicle, said on Monday:

“It doesn’t matter where the 2020 Olympic Games are held but many of us who’ve experienced international Twenty20 cricket and the IPL (Indian Premier League) are convinced that cricket should bid to become an Olympic sport in time for the Games.”

And Gilchrist insisted that for all the prizes on offer in cricket, players would still be motivated to compete at an Olympics.

“Take it from someone who has won almost everything cricket has to offer — the Olympics is the absolute pinnacle in sport.

“Cricketers won’t care about the money. The chance to stand on top of the Olympic podium, to wear an Olympic gold medal and the pride of belting out your national anthem would be a life-changing money-can’t-buy experience,” he added.

Cricket is far from alone in considering becoming an Olympic sport, with golf also pondering a place at the Games.

But reigning US Masters champion Trevor Immelman said: “I don’t think golf should be an Olympic sport. To me the Olympics were founded on amateur sport. Guys go in there and train for four years putting their whole lives on the line to win a gold medal.”

However, his fellow South African Graeme Smith, captain of the Proteas cricket team, that has just won a Test series in England, was enthusiastic about cricket being played at the Olympics.

“From a player’s perspective it would obviously be a fantastic thing to be part of an Olympic Games,” stated Smith. “We’ve always just watched from the side and seen how special the event is.”

The programme for the 2012 London Olympics has already been determined and with a decision on the schedule for the 2016 Games expected next year, that may be too soon for cricket.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge, who played cricket during summer vacations in England in his youth, met with ICC officials in Lausanne last year.—AFP