Rubio, Shaheen push for NCAA flag football programs ahead of 2028 Olympics

Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Jeanne Shaheen (R-N.H.) sent a letter to the NCAA pushing for flag football programs Wednesday ahead of the 2028 Olympics.

“Recently, the Olympic Committee announced that flag football will be an official Olympic sport at the summer 2028 games,” Rubio and Shaheen said in the letter to NCAA president Charlie Baker. “This welcomed news serves as a prime opportunity for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to encourage its participating colleges and universities to offer women’s flag football as an emerging sport.”

Flag football will be a part of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics for the first time, making its debut in the games alongside squash, per a press release for the Los Angeles Olympics. The release also noted baseball and softball will return to the Olympic program in 2028.

“The hope of an Olympic dream just became an active pursuit for countless athletes around the world. This remarkable journey over the next five years will undoubtedly change lives, inspiring athletes with the opportunity to represent their sport and country on the world’s biggest stage,” said Janet Evans, LA28 Chief Athlete Officer, in the October release.

Rubio and Shaheen also noted in their letter that “only the institutions of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) formally provide women’s flag football programs.”

“With this growing sport, and its benefits to women, the Olympic Committee’s announcement is timely,” the two senators’ letter continued. “The NCAA should use this opportunity to proactively educate and encourage its schools to formalize programs. This in turn would allow collegiate women scholarship opportunities and serve as a feeder to the Olympics where they can proudly represent their country and school.”