Flag football moves one step closer to Olympic sport

Flag football took another step towards its governing body’s potential to become an Olympic sport with the approval of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board on Wednesday.

IOC Executive Board Proposed The International American Football Federation (IFAF) — the governing body of international flag football — receives full IOC recognition.

The IFAF will have to wait until the IOC holds its plenary session in Mumbai, India, in mid-October and members vote on the proposal.

In a statement late Wednesday, the IFAF Said We “welcome” the proposal of the IOC Executive Board.

IFAF President Pierre Trochet said: “We are optimistic about the vote of the IOC Session in October and will continue to evaluate how it can be improved for the rapidly growing athletes and sport around the world. “We are committed to.”

For years, the NFL has promoted the inclusion of flag football, played as a 5-on-5 non-contact sport, in the Olympic Games to increase interest in the game around the world.

“If flag football becomes an Olympic sport, more countries will invest in the sport,” NFL International Chief Operating Officer Damani Leach said. CNBC April 2022.

Last summer, the NFL and IFAF formed a partnership to Vision 28to promote flag football as a sport at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.