Cricket's chances of returning as an Olympic sport could be affected by the fall-out from the decision of several of the world's top golfers to pull out of the 2016 Games, according to ICC chief executive David Richardson.

The top four male golfers in the world - Jason Day, Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy - have all opted not to compete in Rio de Janeiro amid fears over the Zika virus. 

Those withdrawals have marred golf's return to the Games for the first time since 1904.

McIlroy indicated he would not watch golf at the Olympics and Richardson feels the controversy of recent weeks could negatively impact cricket's prospects of appearing at the Games for the second time.

Cricket's only other OIympic appearance came in 1900.

Richardson said: "Until now the players' associations we have spoken with all say their players would welcome the experience of going to the Olympics.

"Certainly from an IOC point of view, they've made it clear from the start that, if cricket wants to persuade them – and bearing in mind it's not just a case of us saying we're coming, they have to still admit us – they have said they want the top teams the and the top athletes.

"So this experience with golf might have made it even harder for us to get in, because we have to convince them that our top teams and our top players will be there.

"They're [the IOC] quite keen for cricket to be involved. But we must treat it seriously – it mustn't be Under-23s, or a format of the game that is not taken seriously.

"Twenty20 is the format they are talking about, for both men and women, but there's not much more space than eight teams."