Gilchrist chases support for global proposal

Fleming steps into Olympic push for Twenty20

Cricinfo staff

August 5, 2008

	Stephen Fleming says a move towards the Olympics is logical © Getty Images

Stephen Fleming, the former New Zealand captain, has joined Adam Gilchrist in promoting Twenty20 for the 2020 Olympics in a bid to spread the game throughout the world. Gilchrist raised the idea on Monday and says he has already received support from players in New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka.

While Fleming and Gilchrist have retired from internationals, they are both involved in the Indian Premier League and see huge potential in the Twenty20 format. "The Olympics would be the greatest vehicle to spread the game worldwide and it would be a logical fit," Fleming said in the Australian.

Gilchrist said his proposal was a "call to arms for the game's administrators" and James Sutherland, Cricket Australia's chief executive, is excited by it. "When you think of the Olympics, you also think of the big nations like the US, Russia and now China," Sutherland told the paper. "Those regions are clearly potential growth opportunities for cricket and we see Twenty20 at the Olympics as a superb vehicle."

For cricket to be included in 2020 it would need to be approved by the International Olympic Committee in 2013. The game received Olympic "recognition status" last year, but it faces a battle with other sports, such as golf, karate and baseball, to become part of the programme.

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Gilchrist dreams of Twenty20 at the Olympics

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