Despite rain showers that affected the semi-finals of the Hong Kong Squash Open, International Olympic Committee (IOC) evaluators were able to watch the past weekend tournament finals dry and outdoors as they made notes for the Olympic Programme Commission (OPC) who will determine if any new sports will be added to the Olympic programme in 2020.
“From our side, we didn’t see anything negative about it,” World Squash Federation (WSF) President N Ramachandran said about the experience of the IOC inspectors who were reviewing the event ahead of an important bid presentation to be held in Lausanne next month.
Squash is seeking inclusion in the 2020 Olympic Games following a failed bid for the 2016 event.
“We wanted to show that the Federation runs its sport professionally, takes it seriously and also the fact that we have done many innovations due to various discussions with many people on how to improve our sport, and which is exactly what the inspectors saw,” Ramachandran told GamesBids.com by telephone from Hong Kong.
“I feel that we have shown them a professional tournament, we’ve shown them that the PSA (Professional Squash Association) and WSA (World Squash Federation) are with us in this bid for to get a medal sport in the Olympics.
“We have also shown them all of the innovations that have been done and how the sport has been literally changed upside-down over the last three or four years.
“And they listened, they observed and we got the feeling that they were generally happy.”
Walter Sieber, one of the two IOC Programme Commission representatives, said: “We were able to make a very thorough inspection of the way the event was organised, taking into account the needs of the athletes and coaches. Naturally, we also wanted to assess how the glass court is helping to present the sport for broadcast purposes.
“We found that the competition arrangements were of a high level, and on court we were able to see the top players in action too. It has proven to be very informative.”
Ramachandran said the Hong Kong event was not the biggest, but it was the ideal showcase for the sport. An all-glass show court was erected at the Cultural Centre Piazza on the Hong Kong waterfront at Tsim Sha Tsui, creating a spectacular setting.
Squash is competing against seven other sports for 2020 inclusion including climbing, karate, roller sports, wakeboard, wushu and a baseball and softball joint bid. The IOC will makes its decison in September 2013.
“We want to ensure that we give the best presentation when we go up in front before the Olympic Program Commission,” Ramachandran said.
“I know what has to be done so we’ll do it.”
