Blind cricket at the Brisbane 2032 Paralympics? Don’t rule it out

“We are aware that cricket is in the LA Olympic program. India, which is a very strong cricket country, has demonstrated a lot of interest in growing the Paralympic movement. They want to host the Paralympics in the future. We don’t close the door to any sports.”

If blind cricket is not included in the IPC’s official program, the Brisbane organising committee will have the power to nominate two additional sports. Those sports still need to be signed off by the IPC.

Australia, India, England, Pakistan, South Africa and New Zealand are among the countries already playing blind cricket.

“We’ve put a lot of time and energy and resources into all of our inclusion cricket,” said Cricket Australia boss Todd Greenberg. “When you get a home Paralympics, clearly you want to give yourself the best shot. We’d be very supportive of that and would certainly be able to use our voice in that conversation to see if we could make that a reality.

“2032 is going to be on us quickly, so that work starts now.”

Nine’s coverage of next year’s Winter Paralympics in Italy will follow its record-breaking broadcast of Paris 2024, which reached more than 10 million Australians.

Around 12 to 14 athletes are expected to represent Australia in Milano Cortina from March 6 to 15, with para-snowboarder Ben Tudhope, the nation’s youngest ever Winter Paralympian, again shaping as its best medal hope.

“We are super excited that Nine will broadcast the Milano Cortina Games,” Parsons said. “You’ll see amazing things, like blind skiers coming down a hill at 100km/h. It will be great for Australian audiences and visually it’ll be incredible.”

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Nine CEO Matt Stanton said in a statement: “Using Nine’s unrivalled scale across streaming, broadcasting and publishing, Australian audiences will be able to immerse themselves, whenever and wherever, in all the action and the incredible stories of these amazing athletes.”