Girl power at the LA 2028 Games
The Olympic Committee has announced some changes to the 2028 Olympic Games which favour women. It’s not often we say that in sport so we need to celebrate it.
Let’s backtrack first to remember the new sports or returning sports at these games.
New and returning sports to the LA 2028 Games
Flag football - new sport
It makes sense that an American games has a version of its number one sport, football (and no we don’t mean soccer!). Flag football is a less physical version of (American) football - no helmets or shoulder pads; different rules and a tag to grab. It’s very like touch rugby if you know that and is a sport on the rise in the US, especially amongst girls and women. There was an ad during the Superbowl for it!
Softball / baseball - returning
At a home games, the host country likes to do well so they’ve added another sport very popular in the US of A. Baseball is typically played by men and softball by women but don’t be put off by the ‘soft’ in softball. The ball is actually larger and heavier.
Squash - new
It’s hard to believe that squash hasn’t been played at the Olympics before given its popularity but it is a new sport for the ‘28 Games. It’s a fast paced and demanding sport, popular globally but many top players come from Egypt - perhaps they’ll be the country to watch. You can read more about squash here.
Lacrosse - returning
Lacrosse is returning to the Olympics in a six a side format. Again, this sport is very popular in the US with both men and women and in the world rankings, America is ranked at number one in the women’s game.
Cricket - returning
Cricket is the number one sport in India and is popular around the world. At the Games, countries will compete in the T20 format. T20 is fast paced and exciting with batters taking risks to score runs against the backdrop of a screaming crowd cheering them on. Should be fun!
How are the 2028 LA Olympic Games changing to let more women and girls in?
Football (soccer)
The football tournament at these Games is changing in that 16 teams will qualify for women and only 12 for men. The men used to have 16 but their competition has been reduced to 12 to make sure that the football element of the Games can take up the same amount of time. It’s a bit of give and take between the men and women.
Some would say that football at the Olympic Games isn’t as prestigious as the men’s or women’s World Cup Tournament so does it matter? Well yes it does as the Games’ organisers are making a huge statement with this rearrangement of priorities. And we’re here for it!
Water Polo
Water polo will achieve gender equality for the first time at the ‘28 Olympics as 12 teams are admitted which matches the men. Not so much give and take in water polo but ‘levelling the playing field’…. or, er, swimming pool.
Boxing
Boxing has come a long way this century at the Olympics. It used to only allow male competitors but at London 2012, women could finally compete. At LA 2028, there will be seven weight classes for both men and women for the first time - women gaining a weight class.
3x3 Basketball
This sport will also gain equality at these Games as both men and women will have 12 teams competing. Basketball is another very popular sport in North America so this is an obvious choice for the host country!
Sport Climbing
The previous combined events boulder and lead have been split out to create two events. Add the existing speed event to the roster and that’s more opportunities! Women and men can now show off their Spidey skills in events which really suit their skill set.
Mixed gender sports
LA 2028 will introduce six mixed gender team sports
Archery - compound bow
Artistic gymnastics
Athletics - 4 x 100m mixed gender relay (as if it wasn’t exciting enough already!)
Coastal rowing beach sprint - gonna be great scenery before the rowing even starts!
Golf
Table tennis
These are big changes at the LA Games but we love that equal opportunities in sport have been considered and, importantly, delivered!
At time of writing there is no news from the Paralympic Games organisers but we’ll keep you updated.