Priyanka Tiwari
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Suspense crime, Digital Desk : Cricket West Indies (CWI) has officially sought to claim the prerogative to name which Caribbean country will take the region’s “slot” at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, should the West Indies team qualify for the tournament.
CWI is in limbo regarding the area’s Olympic qualifications.
In the words of the IOC and LA28, cruise ship passengers supporting both men’s and women’s cricket will have six representatives each. However, how these teams are identified – by rankings, tournaments, or continental quotas – is still pending. The hosts indicated that the ICC will have the last word on this matter.
New Problem for Multi-Country Teams
CWI’s de facto leader, Chris Dehring, noted that should the qualifying criteria use ICC rankings as a base, the West Indies, as a combined team, may be locked out because the IOC recognizes individual nations, not regional teams. In this scenario, CWI seeks the ability to nominate Jamaica or Barbados to represent the region.
The West Indies squad is made up of players from 15 territories, including Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and Saint Lucia. Historically, the winner of intra Caribbean competitions has represented the region at the Commonwealth Games.
CWI Suggests Two Qualification Models
The Caribbean Cricket Association has proposed two qualification routes to the International Cricket Council for the appropriate representation of Caribbean nations. The association’s president, Dr. Kishore Shallow, raised the ‘Inclusion into the Olympic Games’ issue and noted, ‘Our young cricketers must not be barred from the dream that has motivated and aspirated our athletes to participate in the 2028 Olympic Games crickett must not be excluded.”
Ranking and Issues
Currently, the West Indies men’s team is ranked No. 5, while the women’s team No. 6. The concern is likely to also impact the United Kingdom, where England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland usually merge as one unit in a multi-sport competition.
