Sport-Lacrosse flexes across yet more nations

LONDON : With Olympic Games inclusion on the horizon, the sport of Lacrosse flexed its muscles on Thursday, adding four new African nation members to grow the sport by a record 11 member states so far in 2023.

Botswana, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe became the latest countries to join global body World Lacrosse to bring membership to 90 national governing bodies.

“We are thrilled for these new members to pick up and enjoy the game,” World Lacrosse CEO Jim Scherr said.

The international federation has added 11 members in 2023 across three continents, with Brazil and Malta joining nine new African federations. In the past decade, the global body has doubled membership with 45 new nations joining the previous community of 45 members. 

The 10-a-side team game played with netted sticks is one of five sports - along with cricket, flag football, squash and baseball-softball - that organisers of the LA 2028 Olympics want to include on their programme.

(Editing by Toby Davis)