The International Cricket Council (ICC) has been approved to become an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member federation.

The global cricket governing body was officially incorporated into the IOC last month.

After IOC’s approval, the ICC Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Speed said, "this is an important step for cricket and we believe it will have a positive impact on the development and profile of the sport around the world".

While, Rwanda Cricket Association (RCA) president Charles Haba said, "This is definitely good news for world cricket and Rwandan cricket in particular".

Reports from the ICC headquarters in Dubai state that since 2000 when ICC joined the General Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF), the body steadily put together practices and processes that enabled its submission to the IOC to be approved at the first time of asking.

Although it would be row to count cricket in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games, it is said that the Twenty20 format of the game could be introduced in time for the 2020 Olympic Games. "Currently, participation in the Olympic Games is not an objective for the ICC but who knows what will happen four to eight years from today," Haba acknowledged.

"It was heartening to hear the first story of a national cricket board receiving increased funding from its National Olympic Committee within 24 hours of the IOC’s decision and we look forward to hearing many more positive stories from across the cricket world," Speed continued.

Cricket’s only involvement with the Olympic movement is dated back in 1900 when the sport made its first and only appearance at the Olympic Games in Paris. Great Britain emerged champions after dislodging France in a two-team event.

Ends