The possibility of big leaguers participating in the 2028 LA Olympics being adopted as a regular event in the U.S. is high.
Harper said, “We expect to be allowed to participate in the MLB Secretariat.”
Baseball returned as an official sport at the 2028 Los Angeles (LA) Olympics. As the Olympics are held in the United States, interest is also focused on whether Major League Baseball (MLB) star players will participate.
At the 141st General Assembly held in Mumbai, India on the 16th (Korean time), the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved a proposal to add five new sports, including baseball, as official sports, proposed by the 2028 LA Olympic Organizing Committee and approved by the IOC Executive Committee. did.
On this day, the IOC adopted five sports, including baseball and softball, squash, flag football, cricket, and lacrosse, as official sports for the LA Olympics. The vote in favor of adoption as an official sport was overwhelming, with only 2 out of 90 voting participants opposing it.메이저놀이터
Baseball was an official Olympic sport from the 1992 Barcelona Games to 2008 Beijing, but was later excluded from the Olympics. It returned again at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in 2021, but was missed again at the 2024 Paris Olympics. At the LA Olympics, it will be included as an official event again for the first time in seven years.
As baseball returns to the Olympics as an official sport in the United States, it is expected that Major League Baseball (MLB) players will participate. According to Japan’s Kyodo News, Riccardo Fraccari, president of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), said, “We have received a document confirming the participation of top players from the major leagues if baseball is adopted as an Olympic sport in 2028.”
The MLB Secretariat has not yet made a decision on details such as suspending the season. However, since it was proposed by the LA Olympic Organizing Committee and adopted as an official event, the possibility of large numbers of major leaguers participating is higher than ever.
The MLB Secretariat has allowed big leaguers to participate in the World Baseball Classic (WBC), but has not sent major league players to the Olympics held during the regular season.
MLB star Bryce Harper (31, Philadelphia Phillies) said in an interview ahead of Game 1 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS) against the Arizona Diamondbacks on the 17th, “Participating in the Olympics is everyone’s dream,” and “The MLB Secretariat is providing support for major league players.” He expressed his hope that participation would be allowed.”