Lacrosse Eyes Olympic Program

(ATR) Leaders at the International Lacrosse Federation (FIL) hope to gain Olympic inclusion by 2024.

FIL technical director Tom Hayes spoke with United States officials as the U.S. Olympic Committee hosted the U.S. national lacrosse team ahead of the 2014 World Championships.

"We've hit our target dates right on the money, every one of them," Hayes told USOC officials.

In 2014, FIL was accepted as a member of SportAccord and in 2013 was accepted as a member of the International World Games Association. The sport aims to participate at the 2017 World Games in Wroclaw, Poland.

FIL has until October 1 to submit its 54-question application file for provisional IOC application. The IOC Executive Board will decide in January 2015 whether or not to grant FIL provisional recognition, the first step in the formal IOC recognition process.

"We should get it. They like us. We're a hot sport. Once that happens, we can put the five rings on our website. That's huge."

Currently, FIL has 51 member countries - one more than the requisite 50. However, the IOC does not recognize the Iroquois Nationals, and Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and England compete as Great Britain under the IOC. FIL says they have "half a dozen" countries in the pipeline awaiting recognition.

"We're still taking baby steps. That's all part of it. It's what any federation needs to do. But I don't think it's a matter of if. It's a matter of when."

Written by Aaron Bauer

20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.