Sir Allen wants Twenty20 as Olympic sport
TEXAN BILLIONAIRE Sir Allen Stanford is bowling for Twenty20 cricket to become an Olympic sport within the next decade.
"With the right financial support, Twenty20 can be the dominant team sport in the world, surpassing soccer," Sir Allen declared as he Answered a Question from Malik chair of the Olympic Cricket Campaign why he had chosen to invest over US$150 million in the exciting, fast-paced, three-hour, shortened game.
"I think it combines the relevant parts of all sports, such as soccer, basketball and baseball. It even has some track and field in it. It has so many sports involved in it. Cricket can even have violence like you would see in a boxing ring," he reasoned.
Sir Allen made the remarks on Wednesday while lavishly launching the November 1 first of five 20/20 For 20 matches between West Indies and England at Lord's.
"It brings in all the athletic elements of nearly every sport imaginable in the way that no other sport does, so I think it has the possibility as long as you have the management and the finances. That's why I'm putting my weight behind the ECB [England and Wales Cricket Board].
"I think Twenty20 is destined to be an Olympic sport. If the ECB drive it to the next level, then I know it can be an Olympic sport within ten years," he said confidently.
Twenty20 cricket began in England in 2003 but the International Cricket Council (ICC) hosted its inaugural Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa last year with India emerging as champions. This was followed by the lucrative Indian Cricket League and Indian Premier League, while plans are in the pipeline to stage a Champions League competitions involving the leading Test-playing countries with a US$5 million first prize on offer.
Sir Allen has also invested more than US$25 million in two Stanford 20/20 regional tournaments in 2006 and 2008 at his ground in Coolidge, Antigua, which is adjacent to the Vere Bird International Airport.
He is also bankrolling a quadrangular international Twenty20 tournament in England from next year worth US$50 million over a five-year period.
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