KUALA LUMPUR – After cricket’s official inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Malaysia Cricket Association (MCA) president Mohammed Iqbal Ali Kassim Ali is optimistic about Malaysia’s chances of qualifying for the games.
The national team have a realistic chance to qualify for the Summer Games, he said.
Speaking to Scoop, Iqbal highlighted the challenges some teams might face regarding nationality issues.
He said that Olympic eligibility rules are more stringent compared to regular tournaments.
“In normal tournaments, eligibility rules are more lenient. But for big competitions like the Olympics, only passport holders can participate, requiring players to either be born and raised in the country or be naturalised players.
“This eliminates nations that bring players over to play for their adopted countries, potentially preventing them from fielding a complete team.
“MCA will push for qualification to LA28 as it is the body’s ultimate goal,” he said when contacted.
During the SEA Games in Phnom Penh in May, MCA raised concerns about the Cambodian cricket team, which fielded 13 foreign players out of 15.
While only a few passports were cited, MCA said that these passports were issued on April 23, the first match was played on April 29, and the deadline for the shortlist was March 3.
This situation resulted in Malaysia, initially the favourites for gold, settling for silver in both the men’s 50-over and Twenty20 formats after losing to Cambodia.
Iqbal, meanwhile, expressed his excitement about the sport’s inclusion in LA28, saying that Malaysia played a role in supporting the sport’s bid at the International Cricket Council.
“Inclusion into the Olympics was discussed at the International Cricket Council level, and we played a part in getting the information, data, and statistics to be presented to the International Olympic Council (IOC).
“Of course, we are ecstatic, and this will be good for cricket in Malaysia,” said Iqbal, adding that Malaysia has been lobbying for the cause since the tenure of Tan Sri Tunku Imran Tuanku Ja’afar as MCA president and an IOC member.
He also said that the impact of cricket’s inclusion in the 2028 Games extends beyond the event itself, as it is expected to have a substantial impact on grassroots development in Malaysia.
“Since cricket is included in the Olympics, it should also be included in the Asian Games and have a great impact on the SEA Games.
“And if you go down to the domestic level, then it should be a part of the National Sports Day, Sukma, and even at the grassroots level, as that is where it all begins,” added Iqbal.
Notably, cricket’s last appearance in the Olympics was over 123 years ago in the 1900 Paris Olympics, featuring only France and Great Britain.
The contest was played over two days, with each side fielding 12 players. While it was never given the status of a first-class game, Great Britain emerged as the victor.
In Los Angeles, in five years’ time, the shorter and more exciting T20 format will be played. – October 18, 2023