Two sports will return to the Olympics for first time in more than 100 years at 2028 Games

The Paris Olympics are nearing the halfway mark and attentions will soon turn to the next Games which will be taking place in four years in Los Angeles.

The American city will host the next Olympics in 2028, having been the only candidate to hold it when it was decided back in 2017, when Paris was awarded this summer's Games.

With every version of the Olympics, a core group of sports always remain with the likes of athletics, swimming, cycling and equestrianism all regular pillars of the event, though the latter is the subject of a petition to be banned from the Games.

However, a number of disciplines have come and gone over the years, with some long consigned to the history books such as the tug of war.

As part of LA 28, five sports which are not taking place in Paris have been formally approved for inclusion at the Games in four years' time - and some haven't featured for quite some time or even not at all in the past.

Two of these - flag football and squash - will make their Olympic debuts at LA 2028.

Squash has long featured in the Commonwealth Games, but 2028 will be the first time it it played at the Olympics.

There are also sports from Paris that won't feature in the next Games, including an event won by Team GB.

The sports of baseball and softball have featured at several Olympics, the most recent edition being at Tokyo 2020 when hosts Japan claimed gold in the baseball, with the United States winning silver and the Dominican Republic taking the bronze medal.

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For softball, Japan's women also claimed gold, with the Americans winning silver again, but Canada clinched bronze.

But two sports which have not been Olympic sports for more than a century will be back on the programme in LA after a lengthy absence.

Cricket will return, having last been included in the 1900 Games, which took place in Paris.

And lacrosse was last included at London 1908, but will return for the 2028 programme in LA.

Speaking last year when the five sports were approved for inclusion at LA 28, IOC President Thomas Bach said: "The choice of these five new sports is in line with the American sports culture and will showcase iconic American sports to the world, while bringing international sports to the United States. These sports will make the Olympic Games LA28 unique.

"Their inclusion will allow the Olympic Movement to engage with new athlete and fan communities in the US and globally."