The Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) has thrown its support behind Cricket West Indies' (CWI) push to have Twenty20 (T20) cricket included on the Olympic programme at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
The International Cricket Council (ICC), the international governing body of the sport, has announced its intention to have T20, the shorter form of the game, included at Los Angeles 2028, a proposal that is supported by CWI.
The CANOC has now endorsed CWI's push, as President Brian Lewis announced at the 19th CANOC general assembly in St Lucia on Saturday (November 6).
Lewis also backed CWI and USA Cricket's joint plans to bid to host a future ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
"One of these things was CWI reaching out to CANOC about support and endorsement of their bid to host the T20 Cricket World Cup with USA Cricket, and we did that," said Lewis.
"We believe that T20 can add significant value to the Olympic programme.
"From a CANOC perspective, we’re backing CWI’s efforts to get T20 cricket, male and female, on the LA 2028 programme and to host the World Cup."
On the Olympic push and the value it adds to Caribbean sport, Lewis added: "These issues impact sport, youth and young people in the Caribbean.
"We fully support it and we will support WI Cricket in whatever efforts they are required to do by the ICC in terms of the push to get T20 cricket on the LA 2028 programme."
Lewis said CWI chief executive Johnny Grave asked Lewis for the CANOC's support in CWI and USA Cricket's hopes of hosting the T20 World Cup.
The 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup is ongoing in Oman and the United Arab Emirates, while Australia is scheduled to host the 2022 event.
The West Indies won the T20 World Cup in 2015 but will not defend their title after failing to qualify for the semi-finals.