Flag football nearing inclusion for 2028 Los Angeles Olympics

Flag football was one of five sports that took the next step Friday toward inevitably being added to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. 

The other sports recommended by the International Olympic Committee executive board in addition to flag football were cricket, baseball-softball, lacrosse and squash.

The final elevation to the 2028 program should come Monday at a meeting of about 100 IOC members who typically rubberstamp the board’s views.

“These proposals have been accepted as a package,” said IOC president Thomas Bach, who chairs the 15-member board, hailing a showcase of “iconic American sports to the world while bringing at the same time international sports to the United States.”

Bach praised flag football for growing in popularity globally “in particular among girls and women.”

He also pointed out one of the benefits of the game:

“With flag football you are avoiding some of the challenges with injuries that American football is facing.”

Each team sport added will have six-nation competitions for men and women.

Flag football has never previously appeared at an Olympic Games. It was a demonstration sport at the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama where the United States won men’s gold and Mexico defeated the hosts in the women’s final.

Seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady played flag football from elementary school through to his first year at high school.

With information and excerpts from the Associated Press and Olympics.com