15-May-05:
Squash & the Olympics:
a Perfect Match

Squash has a lot to offer to the Olympic Games. WSF Chief Executive and Secretary General Christian Leighton explains.

Squash is going through a very exciting period.

The sport is growing. The number of national federations affiliated to the World Squash Federation (WSF) has doubled in the past 15 years to 125 – and new applications continue to arrive. The professional tours are growing in events and prize money. And the number of worldwide players now exceeds 15 million.

Squash is growing and people are noticing.

This is why the IOC has determined that Squash “be studied further with a view to inclusion into the Olympic Games programme for 2012”.

There is no doubt that Squash belongs in the Olympic Games.

Firstly, Squash is all about sheer athleticism. At the top level, Squash requires a remarkable combination of power, speed, flexibility, agility and instant reflexes. And let’s not forget Squash’s trademark – outstanding endurance, both muscular and cardiovascular. And the Olympic Games are all about superior athletic performance.

For Squash’s top performers, the Olympic Games would constitute the pinnacle event in their career. Competing in the Games would be the highest honour and the top priority. Accordingly, the WSF provided a top athlete guarantee to the IOC as a key element within its bid for 2012. Another perfect match: the IOC wants the world’s best athletes at the Olympic Games and Squash’s outstanding athletes want to be in the Olympic Games!

Secondly, Squash has developed into a universal and increasingly popular sport. Squash is played in over 150 countries spread over Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania.

A telling exercise of Squash’s universality would be to design a World Cup in which teams are entered as continents. Let’s see. A Men’s event would have today:

• Thierry Lincou World # 1 Europe (France)
• David Palmer World # 2 Oceania (Australia)
• Amr Shabana World # 5 Africa (Egypt)
• Jonathon Power World # 6 Americas (Canada)
• Shahid Zaman World # 15 Asia (Pakistan)

And what about the Women’s event?

• Rachel Grinham World # 1 Oceania (Australia)
• Vanessa Atkinson World # 2 Europe (Netherlands)
• Nicol David World # 4 Asia (Malaysia)
• Natalie Grainger World # 5 Americas (USA)
• Omneya Abdel Kawy World # 9 Africa (Egypt)

The grass roots efforts have also paid off. Emerging Squash nations now include Colombia, Mexico and the USA in the Americas, Kenya and Nigeria in Africa, China and India in Asia, Finland, Italy and Russia in Europe and the smaller islands in Oceania continue to receive coaching and mentoring from Australia and New Zealand.

Squash is played in all major regional games (World Games, All Africa Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Panamerican Games) and a whole range of sub-regional games – the latest of which is the Women’s Islamic Games!

The Olympic Games is a global celebration of sport, culture and fraternity. Squash’s global appeal is well suited to build onto this concept.

Thirdly, the IOC is keen in keeping the costs of running the Olympic Games under control. The athlete cap of 10,500 is a direct consequence. And the Programme Commission has also taken into account venue and TV production costs at the Games.

This is where Squash’s bid comes into full bloom!

With a proposed programme of 64 athletes (0.6% of cap), cost effective venue options (shared indoor/outdoor that only require two all-glass courts) and very low TV production costs, Squash’s proposal is quite simply value for money: a high-quality addition with very reasonable costs.

The decision is to be made at the 117th IOC Assembly in Singapore on July 8th, 2005. Squash will be there to make sure that all 117 voting IOC members fully understand our high value proposition and plans for 2012.

In the meantime, I look forward to continuing to develop the wonderful sport of Squash with your help. And within this goal, I look forward to a perfect match: Squash’s top athletes battling for Gold at the Olympic Games 2012.


Christian Leighton
Secretary General & Chief Executive
World Squash Federation